SHIRE FORCED TO REFORM

Ashburton Shire has six wards: one for each of its four towns and two rural wards.

GEOFF VIVIAN

In the Pilbara, Ashburton Shire is one of many that will be forced to hold direct elections for Shire President, rather than having councillors elect their President.

“We’ve been told it’s going to happen and we’ve got no say about it,” Ashburton Shire president Kerry White said.

Ms White said they had no choice in the matter, but were conducting a review of the Ward Boundaries as they might otherwise be forced to abandon the Ward system.

“We will have wards, definitely,” she said. “We need wards because our towns are too far apart.”

Shire Governance manager Jasmine Bray told Council local governments could commence a ward boundary and representation review now, with a view to gazetting the changes in time for the elections. 

Submissions need to be made to the Local Government Advisory Board by February.