Ballarat will be split into nine wards as part of a legislated council shake-up, but the finer details - including the borders - have not yet been decided.
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The council electoral structure review, run by the Victorian Electoral Commission, is now in the community feedback stage, and there are three options proposed.
Under new laws, each regional city must have single-councillor wards for the 2024 council elections, so every council across the state has the same structure.
This is a change from the City of Ballarat's current three ward structure, where each ward - North, South, and Central - has three councillors.
The three-ward, three-councillor model was last reviewed in 2015, when the VEC decided to keep the same structure approved in 2007.
The proposed models mainly follow "strong and clear physical boundaries" like rivers, main roads, and railways, while also ensuring the populations are evenly split and can balance councillor workloads.
SEE THE BORDERS BELOW - use the boxes on the left to see the different options:
They also consider where growth is set to occur, and how quickly - it's noted that as of the last council election, there are approximately 87,340 voters, with an approximate ratio of 9,704 voters per councillor.
The city is expected to grow to 122,000 people by 2026, mainly in the new growth zones in the west and north.
Submissions from the public are encouraged to help provide the "best representation" in a community - "(a)s a local, you know your council area better than anyone," the VEC website states.
The first proposal includes the current eastern and southern boundaries but splits them up, creating separate wards for Alfredton, Black Hill, Buninyong, Burrumbeet, Lake Gardens, Sovereign Hill and surrounds, Victoria Park and surrounds, Wendouree, and Yarrowee, taking in Sebastopol and Bonshaw.
The second, described by the authors as "robust", would split the northern area into three - a Burrumbeet ward covering Cardigan and Lucas; a Coghills Creek ward including Miners Rest and Wendouree; and a Nerrina ward taking in Ballarat North and Invermay.
The third model is based around including specific suburbs, but it's noted as Lucas grows some housing developments would be split up along arbitrary lines.
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Splitting the current three-ward structure into three evenly-populated wards was dismissed early, as it would divide communities along minor landmarks or across highways.
It's noted the external boundaries of a council or shire will not change.
The final report from the electoral structure review panel is scheduled to be provided to the Local Government Minister on August 23 to make a final decision.
Public submissions through the VEC website close July 19, and an online public hearing will be held on July 25 at 10am to follow up on submissions.
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