Phone Survey Results In

THE results of the phone survey for a directly elected Mayor were conclusive with 76 percent of the residents surveyed stating they were in favour of the change.

Phone survey for election of Mayor conclusive

Councillors will vote tonight on if the referendum will take place at the next local government elections in September.

The $9,000 survey was conducted over two days and included 402 residents.

In 2013 the Council received a petition by more than 400 residents requesting a referendum at the next local government elections for a directly elected Mayor.

While the independent local government review stipulated that a petition of 200 people or 10 percent of the population, whichever is the lessor, should lead to a referendum, the Upper Hunter Shire Council added another step to the process with the inclusion of the recent phone survey.

The question recommended to be asked at the referendum will be: “Do you approve of the popular election of the Mayor by the electors of the Upper Hunter Shire Local Government Area for a four year term?”

The preamble to the survey questions was criticised by independent survey experts, however the Council propose they have a similar preamble in the referendum and an education campaign be run by the local Council before residents take part in the referendum.

The Council said they would “seek guidance from the Office of Local Government and LGNSW (Local Government NSW) in the preparation of material to inform the community…”

In reference to who formulated the criticised preamble in the phone survey the Council papers state the “introductory concept statement was developed with feedback from Council”.