Cessnock City Council Proposes Adjustments to Ward Boundaries

Published on 08 September 2023

In response to the growing population, Cessnock City Council is taking proactive steps to update its ward boundaries. The proposed adjustments aim to balance the number of voters across the four wards, in accordance with the Local Government Act 1993, ahead of the upcoming local government election scheduled for September 2024.

The Local Government Act 1993 states that each ward maintain a similar number of electors, with a permissible variation of up to 10 percent. Due to population growth, some of Cessnock's wards have exceeded this allowable range meaning there needs to be a boundary adjustment to allow for a more even distribution of voters.

Cessnock City Council General Manager Ken Liddell said the review of ward boundaries was designed to ensure local residents had an equal say in our democracy.

"Our community's voice matters, and the periodic review of ward boundaries is critical in ensuring that every resident's vote counts equally," said Mr Liddell.

"As we move forward, it's imperative that our representation accurately reflects the diverse population we serve. The proposed ward boundary adjustments put together by our hard-working Council staff in consultation with the NSW Electoral Commission and Australian Statistician are designed to achieve just that."

The proposed changes impact each of the existing wards and are aligned with the Council's commitment to meeting the requirements of the Local Government Act.

Cessnock City Council currently has over 48,000 enrolled voters living within the local government area. The proposed boundary adjustments will affect approximately 4,500 of enrolled voters.

Residents are invited to review and provide feedback on the proposed adjustments, which can be viewed through a dedicated Ward Boundary Changes map on the Council's website. The Public Exhibition remains open until 25 September 2023, and submissions will be accepted until 9 October 2023.

For more information on the proposed ward boundary adjustments, including access to the interactive map and submission details, please visit: https://together.cessnock.nsw.gov.au/wardboundaries