By JESSE GRAHAM
THE first step of the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC)’s review into the Yarra Ranges Council has finished, with a preliminary report set to be released at the end of the month.
The review, which occurs for councils every three election cycles, aims to ensure fair representation for all voters, and assesses the number of councillors and wards, among other issues.
The first round of public submissions closed on Wednesday 2 September, and the VEC has since published the 18 submissions it received on its website.
Three of these submissions were made from individual Yarra Ranges Councillors – Jim Child, Jason Callanan and Mike Clarke – while another was made on behalf of the council as a whole.
Councillors Child, Callanan and Clarke, and the council’s submissions all recommended that the nine wards, nine councillors make-up of the council remain the same, with some boundary changes for wards.
These boundary changes, suggested by Cr Callanan and the council, include redefining the Chandler Ward to take in the Monbulk Aquatics Centre and the whole of Wandin and for Streeton to expand slightly to have the Olinda Pool area, among other suggestions.
With a submission from former councillor, Dianne Moore, five of the submissions asked for the ward and councillor make-up of the council to remain the same.
Meanwhile, former-Lyster Ward councillor and Selby resident Samantha Dunn made a submission supporting a change to three wards – one for the Yarra Valley region, one for the urban areas of Lilydale and its surrounds, and another for the Dandenong Ranges – with three councillors to be elected from each ward.
Ms Dunn wrote that having three wards would join “communities of interest”, and ensure representation if a councillor was on leave.
Of the 18 submissions, half recommended a change to the three wards, nine councillors.
Three of the submissions recommended that 11 councillors be elected for the Yarra Ranges, with two of these recommending 11 wards and the other recommending larger, multi-councillor wards.
The last submission contained detailed diagrams on how the electoral make-up of not only the Yarra Ranges, but the state as a whole, could be made up – including each village electing a leader, and these leaders then electing a mayor.
The submission’s diagram featured 10 wards.
Cr Child wrote in his submission that the current wards are “unique in their own right”, and that councillors have a “very strong knowledge” of their areas and communities.
“I content that a multi-councillor ward combining the Ryrie and O’Shannassy wards would group together towns that have few common interests, such as Healesville and Warburton,” he wrote.
The VEC is expected to release its preliminary report on the review on Wednesday 30 September – residents will then have until 5pm on 28 October to make further submissions.
By 25 November, the final report will be released, and any changes will take place for the council’s October 2016 election.
To view the submissions, visit vec.vic.gov.au.
