Surf Coast Shire Council electoral structure review

Published on 28 January 2023

An electoral representation advisory panel is reviewing the electoral structure of Surf Coast Shire Council and is seeking your input.

The Local Government Act 2020 (the Act) introduced several changes, including to the electoral structures local councils must have. Throughout 2023–24, 39 Victorian local councils will undergo electoral structure or ward boundary reviews to ensure they comply with the Act.

Surf Coast Shire Council will be reviewed by an independent electoral representation advisory panel, with administrative and technical support from the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC). The panel will consider if the council:

• has an appropriate number of councillors
• should be one large unsubdivided area

  or

• should be subdivided into wards.

Public information sessions about the review will be held on 12 noon on Monday 30 January 2023 and 6 pm on Tuesday 31 January 2023. Visit the VEC website at vec.vic.gov.au/surf-coast and click the link to attend the live online event.

Your input is valuable. As a local, you know your council area better than anyone. This is your chance to let the panels know your thoughts about what electoral structure would best support representation in your community. This is known as a submission.

Submissions for the Surf Coast Shire Council review open on Wednesday 1 February 2023 and close on Wednesday 22 February 2023. A submission guide and fact sheet are available on the VEC website.

The panel will consider the submissions and the requirements of the law to propose options for the council’s structure in a preliminary report. You will also be able to share your views on this report.

The panel will then make a final recommendation to the Minister for Local Government. If the Minister accepts this, the structure for Surf Coast Shire Council will apply at the October 2024 local council elections.

The key dates for the review are below:

*A public hearing is scheduled for those who have requested to speak in support of their response submission. If there are no requests to speak, the hearing will not be held.

To find out more about the review process and how you can have your say, visit the Surf Coast Shire Council review page on the VEC website at vec.vic.gov.au/surf-coast