VOTERS in the Tenterfield Shire could elect all councillors in a new proposal to abolish the council's ward system.
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Councillors discussed the bold proposal at their ordinary meeting last week with six voting to back a plan to hold a referendum.
The removal of the ward system would mean that voters would elect all Tenterfield councillors in local government elections from 2020 onward.
Councillor Don Forbes tabled the plan to ‘dispense’ the system which currently sees two representatives from five differing wards.
Councillors were discussing a report into ward boundary changes when Cr Forbes flagged the amendment to dispense the current system altogether.
“I have a great deal of faith the general public will make the right decision,” Cr Forbes said.
Initially Cr Forbes had sought to hold the referendum prior the next council election as he saw the plan to start it in 2020 as ‘unfair to the next council’.
He suggested councillors should be ‘councillors for the whole shire’ but Cr Blair Maxwell called the plan a ‘hijacking of council’.
“I’m a little upset I have to make a decision on the spot, I would have liked to discuss it at greater length,” Cr Maxwell said.
“I’d hate to see councillors from Tenterfield town run things and not be inclusive of the rest of the shire.
“You could only conceivably have candidates from Urbenville or Drake with the population to vote in a local representative.
Cr Mary Leahy said having a town-centric council would be a ‘weakness’.
Figures were thrown out about potential costings to hold a referendum with Cr Maxwell suggesting it could cost council and ratepayers upwards of $100,000.
Those figures were refuted by general manager Lotta Jackson who said a referendum run conjunctionally with an election would cost between $5,000 and $10,000.
One held prior to an election could conceivably cost upwards of $35,000 and $40,000.
Simon Kwok from the NSW Electoral Commission said those figures were ‘consistent with our estimates’.
Ms Jackson told council that abolishing wards was a ‘progressive’ move with a number of neighbouring shires having already done away with the practice.
Cr Maxwell has foreshadowed a rescission motion to have the decision to hold a referendum overturned.
