Wards Might Yet Be Saved, But………

The Local Government Advisory Board consistently recommended that the new local governments not be divided into wards, something that most local Councils (and this blog) have expressed concern about. Arguably, wards are all the more important in larger local governments to retain some element of the local in local government.

Well, it seems that the Department of Local Government has been listening to these concerns and has establish a less onerous and time-consuming process for re-establishing a ward structure. Thanks to Cr Chris Cornish for drawing my attention to this (http://chriscornish.info/ward-system-may-still-occur). In principle this is to be welcomed as a response to Council and community concerns, but I do have reservations.

It is more than passing strange that, although this was announced to elected members by email today, it does not appear on either the WALGA or Local Government Department websites. Almost as if they don't want the great unwashed to find out about it and put pressure on their new councils to undertake this process.

It is also of great concern that the same Local Government Advisory Board that recommended doing away with wards, often in opposition to the proposals it was otherwise recommending, is now to sit in judgment on any proposals to establish wards in the new amalgamated Councils. I know that's what the Local Government Act says should happen, but the Act envisaged such proposals coming from local governments or the community. In this case, the LGAB would be sitting in judgment on a proposals directly counter to its own recommendations, which sounds like a conflict of interest to me.

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