Swan ward councillor review

Dear Echo News,

I write regarding the review of the Swan ward boundaries and representation.

We are grateful to the Echo News for its continuing coverage of issues of importance to our district.

The proposed review has raised considerable concern for the Midland-Guildford Ward given the City of Swan’s draft proposal would reduce elected representation from three to two councillors.

Further, while the city’s draft, intended to go forward to community consultation, provided options for boundary and representation changes – all excluded the option to retain three councillors.

That exclusion directs a predetermined outcome.

Several councillors have also raised concerns that some councillors participated in the drafting of options, while others were excluded.

That is potentially a serious abuse of process and if it occurred, the community can have little confidence in what is truly driving urgency around these changes.

The ward has 12 suburbs, sharing a cohesive base, community of interest and the sub-regional centre of Midland.

To reduce representation, several suburbs in the northeast of the ward would be moved to other wards.

That could fracture long standing connections established over decades.

The city has no pressing need to review boundaries as it is not formally required for at least another five years.

Further, the conclusions of staff are purportedly based on projected population but had no regard to the state government’s plans to intensify density in older suburbs.

Changes to minimum lot sizes will result in more subdivisions and infill residential development, particularly in our ward where historically lot sizes were much greater than more recent developments, together with the intensified residential development around transport hubs, already evident in Midland.

All options should be on the table.

The ward has complex elements, large commercial and industrial developments, major road and bridge infrastructure plans and a large residential community.

A demand too great for just two councillors.

Christine Hughes

Chairperson

Guildford Association