Geelong council to undergo structural overhaul

A STATE advisory committee is preparing to begin a review that will determine the City of Greater Geelong’s electoral structure starting from next October’s ballot.

The city will return to a single-councillor ward structure following the current council term to comply with new state government legislation.

Local Government Minister Melissa Horne has appointed an Electoral Representation Advisory Panel that will conduct the process that determines how greater Geelong residents will vote for their representatives at the next election.

“Under the [Local Government] Act, these councils must move to single-councillor ward electoral structures,” the VEC’s acting electoral commissioner Dana Fleming said.

“The panels are considering the appropriate number of councillors and wards for each council, the location of ward boundaries and ward names.”

The panel will host public information sessions for ratepayers at 12 noon on Monday, July 3 and 6pm on Tuesday, July 4.

The commission will publish a preliminary report and open submissions from ratepayers on Wednesday, July 5 for three weeks until July 26.

Geelong’s present four-ward, 11-councillor system was the result of a citizen’s jury process conducted after the council’s dismissal in 2016.

Its previous structure was a 13-councillor single-ward structure last used at the 2012 election.

For more information and to register for public sessions, head to vec.vic.gov.au/greater-geelong