CITY of Busselton residents have been denied the opportunity to vote for their own mayor after the council voted against re-introducing a ward based system.
The City of Busselton is currently a district based system where residents elect the councillors who then elect the mayor.
Until 2007 the shire was a ward based system where it was split into six boundaries.
There were two councillors each for west Busselton urban and rural and east Busselton urban areas, five councillors represented the city centre and one councillor each represented the central rural and east rural areas.
If the ward-based system was passed the city would have been split into three boundaries with four councillors representing east Busselton, three councillors representing west Busselton and two councillors for Dunsborough, Yallingup and Eagle Bay.
Councillors Tom Tuffin and Rob Bennett were both in favour of giving community members the opportunity to express their views on independently electing the mayor.
Cr Tuffin said the mayor led every person in the city and there were people who thought they should have the right to say who the mayor was.
Cr Jenny Green, among other councillors opposed Cr Tuffin and Cr Bennett’s recommendation.
She said the ward-based system failed in the city in 2007 which is why it was voted out.
“Councillors represent everyone and as a councillor I believe we are able to make a decision and I think it is our responsibility not to defer this recommendation,” Cr Green said.
The officer recommendation to not re-introduce the ward based system was accepted.
Residents have expressed concern over the current district based system.
Former Inglewood ward councillor for City of Stirling, Robin Furlong moved to West Busselton seven years ago and was disappointed to hear the ward system was dismissed at council last week.
Ms Furlong said the ward system worked extremely well with electors contacting her to represent them on all manner of items.
“I had a sound working knowledge of my area and a lot of the times a single phone call was all that was needed to appease a potentially difficult situation,” she said.
“Of course, the Councillors came together to discuss major decisions and of course they represented the interest of all electors.”
Read how the council decision regarding a ward-based system left other residents feeling ignored.
