Representation Review 2020/2021

Mount Barker District Council undertook a Periodical Elector Representation review from October 2020 to October 2021 in accordance with the Local Government Act. Councils are required to conduct these reviews following the gazettal of a review date by the Minister or earlier if there is a significant change in its composition and structure, or Council determines to do so. The previous Representation Review was undertaken in 2012/2013, and since that time our council area has undergone significant growth.

The purpose of a Representation Review is to determine whether Council’s community would benefit from an alteration to its composition or ward structure. Many factors are taken into account when undertaking the review. Of particular importance for this Council area is population growth and the effect this has on elector ratios in wards.

Included in the factors Council was required to consult with the community on were:

• How the Mayor will be elected
• The number of Councillors
• How the Councillors should be elected (as representatives of the Council area as a whole or representatives of wards) or a combination; and
• Where the ward boundaries will be placed or if the Council area should be without wards.

After two consultation periods Council determined at its 2 August 2021 Council meeting to submit to the Electoral Commissioner a proposal for:

• The position of Mayor as the Principal member elected by the community be retained
• The Council maintains a three ward structure however all ward boundaries be adjusted
• Ward Councillors be retained without the addition of Area Councillors.
• The number of Ward Councillors be maintained at ten.  Four Ward Councillors remain in the Central Ward, however the number of ward councillors in the South Ward will increase to 3 Ward Councillors and the North Ward will reduce to 3 Ward Councillors due to the town of Hahndorf shifting (as a result of the ward boundary change) from being in the North Ward to the South Ward.

The Electoral Commissioner approved the changes which were gazetted on 16 December 2021.

The gazetted changes will take effect for the Council election to be held in November 2022. This means candidates who wish to nominate in the November 2022 Council election, will do so as per the new ward boundaries.* Further detail of the ward boundaries can be viewed in the maps below:

• Ward Map Detailed
• North Ward map
• Central Ward map
• South Ward map

* Whilst the certified ward structure provides more consistent levels of representation within wards with elector ratios in those wards within specified quota tolerance limits, and allows limited capacity for likely fluctuations in elector numbers primarily as a consequence of future population growth and residential development, it should be noted the current level of significant population growth across parts of the Council area, in particular Mount Barker, is anticipated to continue and may well trigger a representation review sooner rather than later.  

That is, it is unlikely the current structure to apply for the 2022 election will endure for the next representation review cycle. Therefore, in future Council may wish to consider a ‘no ward’ structure, for a period of time, in the event a representation review is triggered by quota tolerance limits being breached by more than 20%.

A community awareness strategy will be developed as part of the broader promotion of the 2022 council election. To include as an example the shift of the area of the township of Hahndorf area from the North ward to the South ward.