Six Horsham Rural City Councillors have lodged a joint submission requesting that the municipality’s current unsubdivided electoral structure be retained.
A Victorian Electoral Commission Electoral Review Advisory Panel has recommended that HRCC transition from an unsubdivided council to a structure with seven wards each electing a single representative.
A preliminary report has presented three models for public consultation.
However in their submission, the Councillors have opposed all three options, preferring to retain the current unsubdivided electoral structure at the 2024 election.
Mayor Robyn Gulline, Cr David Bowe, Cr Penny Flynn, Cr Les Power, Cr Bob Redden and Cr Ian Ross were signatories to the letter sent this week.
In their submission, Councillors cited challenges in attracting candidates for election, extra costs and a lack of urban and rural diversity as primary concerns with the proposed ward structures.
Cr Gulline encouraged residents in the municipality to share their own feedback by making a submission to the Panel before 5pm on Wednesday 19 July.
Details of the proposed structures and are available via the VEC’s website. People can also use the VEC website to provide their submission.
MAKE AN ONLINE SUBMISSION TO THE VEC
Other ways to make a submission:
