Locals to determine future election system

Come September 13, residents of the City of Sydney will not only be voting for their next Lord Mayor and team of councillors, but they will also decide on the future of local government elections.

A referendum will be held to ask voters if they want the City of Sydney Council to be divided into wards, so that the 10 elected councillors will represent specific areas within the local government district.

This is in contrast to the current system, whereby all nine councillors, plus the Lord Mayor, are chosen to represent the entire area.

It has been proposed that the Council be divided into three separate wards, to allow three councillors to be elected from each.

The system however, if passed, will not come into effect until the next election in 2012. It will be the first time the City of Sydney will be divided into wards, after it was forced to merge with the former South Sydney Council (which was divided) in 2003.

Specific ward areas and boundaries will only be determined if the referendum is successful.