Electoral Structure Review Yarriambiack Shire Council

An independent electoral structure review panel, appointed by the Minister for Local Government, has concluded its assessment of the electoral structures of 39 Victorian Councils ahead of the 2024 local government general elections scheduled for October this year. Yarriambiack Shire Council was one of the councils included in this comprehensive review. 

The review panel examined the council's composition, assessing whether an appropriate number of councillors was in place and determining whether it should be unsubdivided or subdivided. The preliminary report presented three models for the panel's consideration, each aimed at aligning with the requirements of the Local Government Act 2020: 

Model 1: An unsubdivided electoral structure with 7 councillors. 

Model 2: A subdivided electoral structure with 6 councillors, 3 wards, and 2 councillors per ward. 

Model 3: A subdivided electoral structure with 7 councillors, 7 wards, and one councillor per ward. 

Following community consultation, which included submissions advocating for retaining wards and subdivision, the Minister for Local Government, Melissa Horne, accepted the recommendation of the Electoral Representation Advisory Panel for Yarriambiack Shire Council to remain subdivided. The accepted model entails three wards, creating a multi-member ward structure in accordance with the Local Government Act 2020.  

Tammy Smith, CEO of Yarriambiack Shire Council, clarified that “the primary changes would involve adjusting ward boundaries and reducing the number of councillors to six, with each ward having two councillor representatives. The existing structure with an uneven distribution of councillors across wards (two for Hopetoun, three for Warracknabeal, and two for Dunmunkle) will be revised, come the 2024 election”. 

In preparation for the upcoming Council elections in October 2024, information sessions are planned to assist prospective candidates in understanding the roles and expectations of a councillor, along with outlining the candidate nomination process. Mrs. Smith emphasized that “Yarriambiack Shire Council has joined the Municipal Association of Victoria's Stand for Council Program, with details of information sessions to be released in the coming months”. 

Interested individuals contemplating nomination for the October 2024 Council elections and seeking more information about the process are encouraged to contact Mrs. Smith through the Warracknabeal Shire Office customer service team. 

The final report and map of Yarriambiack Shire Council, reflecting the approved changes, can be accessed on the Government Gazette website via the link GG2024S056.pdf (gazette.vic.gov.au).GG2024S056.pdf (gazette.vic.gov.au)