Susanna Freymark
Do you want to vote for the mayor? Would it be better if there were only two wards rather than three in Kyogle LGA?
Residents will be able to give their views on these questions at a referendum at the council elections in September.
At the monthly Kyogle Council meeting at 2pm tomorrow, Monday, March 11, the wording of the referendum questions will be voted on.
The recommendation for wording after a workshop with councillors in November is:
Do you favour the election of the Mayor by electors for a four year term with the number of Wards reduced from three to two, each Ward comprising of four Councillors, plus a popularly elected Mayor?
At the council meeting in April last year, councillors voted on proceeding with a referendum to see if residents want a popularly elected mayor as opposed to the current system where the mayor is elected by the councillors.
The decision for a referendum on his topic went ahead with councillors Kylie Webster, Danielle Mulholland, John Burley, Janet Wilson, Maggie May and Hayden Doolan voting yes.
Councillors Tom Cooper, Robert Cullen and James Murray voted against proceeding with a referendum.
The NSW Electoral Commission recommended the council consider popularly elected mayor referendum questions put by other councils such as Wollondilly Shire Council where a 2016 referendum was held on the same topic.
Included in the mayoral choice question, residents will also be asked if they’d prefer two wards instead of three in Kyogle LGA. See the map below for the current Ward A, B and C.
The Electoral Commission informed councillors that a mayor elected by the councillors holds the office of mayor for two years, and a mayor elected by the people holds the office for four years.
The Commission said the question put to electors at the referendum require a Yes or No answer. Multiple questions can also be asked in the same referendum. For example:
1. Do you wish to have a popularly elected Mayor? Yes/No
2. Do you wish to reduce the number of Councillors? Yes/No
3. Do you wish to abolish wards? Yes/No
and then