Central Goldfields Shire Council will move to a single-councillor ward structure for the 2024 Council Election.
The change is the result of the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) electoral structure review, which takes place every 12 years.
Currently, Central Goldfields Shire Council is divided into four wards with a total of 7 Councillors – one ward with four Councillors (Maryborough Ward) and three wards with one Councillor each (Flynn, Paddys Ranges and Tullaroop).
The electoral structure will move to a single-councillor ward structure with a total of 7 councillors across 7 wards – with one councillor per ward before the October 2024 local government general election.
The wards will be titled:
- Flynn Ward
- Maryborough Central Ward
- Maryborough East Ward
- Maryborough North Ward
- Maryborough West Ward
- Paddys Ranges Ward
- Tullaroop Ward
Central Goldfields Shire Council is one of 39 Councils to have its electoral structure reviewed because of new requirements under the Local Government Act 2020.
Prior to the completion of the review, Council made a submission to the VEC. Council's submission supported the change to single-Councillor wards and also suggested the four wards covering Maryborough should include the name of the town and compass directions – north, east, south and west.
The review has not changed any external boundaries in the Central Goldfields Shire municipality.
For residents there will be no significant difference to the way that they participate in the 2024 council elections based on this change.
To ensure that all Councils meet the requirements under the Act, the Minister for Local Government formed two panels to conduct electoral structure reviews. The reviews were held over three rounds, concluding in January 2024.
You can learn more about the electoral structure review here: Electoral structure and ward boundary reviews (localgovernment.vic.gov.au)
