Under the Local Government Act 2020, all councils must move to single-councillor wards before the next Council elections in 2024. A formal review is underway offering three possible models for the number of councillors; number and structure of wards; and ward boundaries and names.

Getting this change right is not just important to Council — it’s vital to good governance and delivering our Community Vision.

While we’d prefer to keep the current three-ward and three-councillor-per-ward model — which satisfies the objectives of good governance, local representation and balance — the Local Government Act 2020 requires us to move to a single-member ward structure.

With this in mind, our submission accepts the nine-ward, nine-councillor change and prefers the first of the three models on the table. We support Model 1 because it:

• uses existing ward boundaries, each divided to create nine new wards;
• creates compact and roughly even wards in shape and size;
• meets the requirement that wards be within +/-10% deviation of the average number of voters;
• does not change the level of representation for geographic areas; and
• follows major roads for electoral boundaries.

We also believe ward names should respect First Nations history and enduring ties to the land, particularly in areas where Glen Eira's names come from Indigenous languages. For example, we are asking for the proposed ‘Greenmeadows’ ward to be named ‘Orrong’ ward — a name that holds significance in First Nations language and resonates with our community as a familiar street name.

A lot more work needs to be done by the review panel to engage Traditional Owners on ward names.

You can read our complete submission here: Response submission to the Electoral Representation Advisory Panel [PDF 126 KB]

And, to find out more about the electoral review and proposed models, visit the Glen Eira City Council electoral structure review.​