Changes to the City of Karratha Council are proposed to come into effect from the next local government election in October 2023 to keep in line with the new requirements under the State Government’s Local Government Reforms.
As part of the reforms the City of Karratha Council approved a proposal to reduce from 11 councillors to eight plus a mandatory publicly elected Mayor.
In addition, it is proposed that the current ward system will be abolished as it does not meet the requirements set out by the Local Government Advisory Board for the elector to Councillor ratio.
The reforms were first announced by the State Government in November.
The City conducted a Ward and Representation Review which was open for a six week public comment period during which only one submission was received.
In October the Minister for Local Government required every Council to choose either a ‘voluntary pathway’ or a ‘reform election pathway’ which would have resulted in a full spill of councillors.
The voluntary pathway, which was endorsed by Council, will see the number of Councillors reduced over the next two elections.
At the 2023 ordinary election the number of Councillors will be reduced by one with five vacating Councillor terms replaced by a directly elected Mayor and three councillors, all elected for a four year term.
At the 2025 ordinary election the number of Councillors will be further reduced by one with six vacating Councillor terms replaced by four Councillors elected for four years terms and 1 Councillor elected for a two-year term.
The endorsed model will be sent to the Local Government Advisory Board and Minister for Local Government for approval, with the changes to take place at the next local election.