Residents in the City of Melville are facing an unexpected financial hit, forced to cover an $80,000 bill for an extraordinary election triggered by a councillor's mid-term resignation.
The Cost of a Vacancy
The situation arose after former Palmyra-Melville-Willagee ward councillor Tomas Fitzgerald resigned from his position in September. His departure was prompted by his unsuccessful bid to become mayor of the neighbouring Town of East Fremantle. A critical timing complication meant his resignation occurred after nominations for the regular October local government elections had already closed.
Because of this, the vacancy could not be filled during the standard electoral cycle. The council has now been compelled to allocate $80,000 from its budget to pay the WA Electoral Commission to run a separate postal election.
Ward Left Under-Represented for Months
The extraordinary election has been scheduled for Thursday, March 26. This date has raised concerns among councillors, as it leaves the Palmyra-Melville-Willagee ward with reduced representation for a significant period. Council staff confirmed that this was the earliest possible date the election could be held.
Currently, Cr Karen Wheatland is the sole acting councillor for the ward. The issue of under-representation was directly raised at the council's November 11 briefing by Drayton Morley, a candidate who ran in October and intends to stand again in the March election.
Council's Response to Representation Concerns
When questioned about interim measures for the under-represented ward, the city's Head of Governance, Corrine Newman, provided a response based on the Local Government Act. She stated that the legislation requires all elected members to represent the entire community, not just their specific wards.
"All residents in the City of Melville are represented by all elected members around the table tonight," Ms. Newman told the meeting. "So where the current elected member for that particular ward feels that they need support, they do have the support of all of their colleagues."
Despite this assurance, the $80,000 cost remains a direct financial burden on the city's ratepayers, funding a vote that became necessary due to the unusual political circumstances.
