The City of Charles Sturt is undertaking a review to determine whether a change of arrangements is required in regards to the Council’s elector representation. This follows recent changes to the Act which has a requirement for all Councils to have principal member (a Mayor), appointed or elected as a representative of the area as a whole, as well as imposing a limit of 13 Elected Members (total including the Mayor).
Council must undertake a ‘Transitional Review’, as set out in the Local Government Act 1999 to address the Member Cap provisions by either reducing the number of Members or seek exemption from the Electoral Commission of South Australia (ECSA).
The Draft Representation Review Report will:
- examine the composition and structure of the Council and the division of the Council into wards; and
- propose whether the number of members should be reduced; and
- set out the proposal that the Council considers should be carried into effect at the next Local Government elections in 2026.
Council is proposing:
- Continue with its current composition and structure, being:
- the Principal Member of Council continue to be a Mayor, elected by the Council areas as a whole (this is now mandatory under the Local Government Act); and
- maintain an eight ward structure; and
- the elected body of the Council to continue to comprise of a total of 16 Ward Councillors, with two elected to each Ward.
- Realign the boundaries of the Semaphore Park and Grange Wards to ensure all Wards remain within the 10% tolerance for the next Local Government periodic elections. The proposed change is to move a small portion of Tennyson along Military Road and around Lakeside Court from the Grange Ward into the Semaphore Park Ward, resulting in 122 electors moving wards.
We are inviting our community to share their thoughts by close of business on Monday 3 March 2025:
- Via the online submission form on Your Say Charles Sturt
- By written submission addressed to:
- Chief Executive Officer
- Representation Review
- City of Charles Sturt
- Via mail to: PO Box 1, Woodville SA 5011
- Via email to: kjackson@charlessturt.sa.gov.au
- In person: Civic Centre, 72 Woodville Road, Woodville
The Draft Representation Review can be found online or at the Council's Civic Centre. For more information please contact 8408 1111 or email kjackson@charlessturt.sa.gov.au.