Council staff recommend referendum wording
Council staff have recommended wording for the referendum that, if successful, would reduce councillor numbers from 15 to 9, and the number of wards from five to three, with each ward electing three councillors.
The recommended council resolution is: "That Council adopt the referendum question endorsed by the NSW Electoral Commission and Office of Local Government being: Do you favour a reduction in the number of Central Coast Councillors from 15 to 9 and a reduction in the number of wards from 5 to 3, with each ward electing 3 councillors."
The staff report says that Council wrote to both the Electoral Commission and the Office of Local Government to seek feedback and approval of the proposed referendum question on July 10.
"The advice received was that where councils are already divided into wards, they are not required under section 16 of the Act to seek the endorsement of the community for changes in the number of wards at a constitutional referendum unless they are proposing to abolish wards altogether.
"However, the reduction in wards does need to be addressed in the referendum question so that the implications of the reduction in councillor numbers are clear."
Council received a quote of $2,787,493 for the Electoral Commission to conduct the 2024 Election and Referendum.
SOURCE:
Central Coast Council agenda 2.6, 22 Aug 2023