Kiama Council has voted against holding a referendum that would have asked the Kiama LGA whether to reduce the number of councillors from nine to seven at the next local election.

The motion was voted in favour by Councillors Mark Croxford, Warren Steel and Matt Brown, but was voted against by Councillors Jodi Keast, Stuart Larkins, Karen Renkema-Lang and Kathy Rice.

Councillor Croxford, who introduced the motion, said that Kiama was currently overrepresented compared to neighbouring councils.

Speaking at Council’s Ordinary Meeting on Tuesday 15 August, Councillor Croxford said residents of the Kiama LGA had the right to decide how its local government operates.

“At the very heart of democracy is choice. It’s the idea that the people should have a say in how they’re governed. In putting forth this notice of motion, we’re not imposing a decision, but a choice. It’s a choice based on the evolving needs of our municipality, the efficiency of our decision-making processes and the effective use of our resources.”

Councillor Croxford added that a smaller council would streamline debates and reduce bureaucracy, and that although cost-savings wasn’t the object, fewer councillors would save on allowances and administrative costs.

He also recognised that more councillors equates to more diverse representation, but said that it was ultimately up to the community as to how it is represented.

Arguing against the motion, Councillor Kathy Rice said there was an assumption that decision-making would be more effective with fewer councillors.

“In my experience on boards and community committees, the difference of two on the board will have less impact on efficiency and effectiveness than the group culture and processes would have.”

She added that councillors were not provided with any research material that supported the claims that fewer councillors translated to efficiency.

“Obviously a reduction in councillor numbers could save a small amount of cash, but economics should not be the major justification for a change that could create significant cultural change.”

Kiama has a relatively lower ratio of councillors to residents compared with our neighbouring councils, with one councillor per 2598 residents, which could suggest overrepresentation, according to Council’s Business Papers.

Wollongong for example has a ratio of one councillor per 16,637 residents, Shellharbour has one councillor per 8695 residents, and the Shoalhaven has one councillor per 8417 residents despite having 13 councillors.

Kiama still has a much lower ratio when compared with OLG Group 4 Councils, which includes LGAs with similar populations to Kiama like Richmond and Lithgow.

While Council also considered reducing the number of councillors down to five, it ultimately landed on seven as a balancing point between efficient decision-making and reasonable representation, which would equate to one councillor per 3384 residents. CEO Jane Stroud’s cost-benefit analysis estimates that Council could save up to $43,469 annually by reducing the number of councillors.