Council currently has a State appointed Administrator, Mr Viv May PSM. Following a Public Inquiry, on 14 July 2022 the Minister for Local Government dismissed all Councillors, and this followed their suspension since 12 March 2021.
The next Wingecarribee Shire Council election is scheduled for 14 September 2024. You can find more information about Local Government Elections on the OLG (Office of Local Government) website.
Further information about the Wingecarribee Shire Council Public Inquiry is available on the NSW Office of Local Government website.
If you're passionate about what happens in your local community, becoming a councillor is an exciting opportunity to make a difference and to represent the interests of residents.
As a councillor you are expected to represent the views of the whole community while making decisions in their interests, demonstrate conduct that the community expects and deserves, and plan and oversee the running of the significant and complex business of Council.
Learn more at become a Councillor.
To learn more about registration, nomination, election campaign finances, voting and other election processes, as well as important dates and deadlines, go to the NSW Electoral Commission website at elections.nsw.gov.au.
Voting Eligibility
If you're a resident in the Wingecarribee Shire Local Government Area, you can check if your enrolment details are up to date, by visiting the Australian Electoral Commission.
Non-Residential Roll
What is a non-residential roll?
There are two non-residential rolls:
- The roll of non-resident owners of rateable land, and
- The roll of occupiers and rate-paying lessees.
These two rolls are combined with the residential roll to form the roll of electors for a council area, which is used during an election. The residential roll is the list of people who live in the council area and are eligible to vote in elections.
Why do non-residential rolls exist?
The non-residential rolls provide people who are non-resident owners, occupiers and rate-paying lessees of rateable land within the council area an opportunity to have a say in who is elected to council.
Who manages the non-residential rolls?
It is the responsibility of the general manager of the council to maintain the roll of non-resident owners of rateable land and the roll of occupiers and rate-paying lessees. After each election, the non-residential rolls lapse. Then as soon as is practicable, the general manager prepares new rolls for the next election and keeps them updated. If you applied to be on a roll previously and are still qualified to be on that roll, you should be included on the new roll.
Is it compulsory to be on a non-residential roll if I am eligible to be?
Is it compulsory to vote if I am on a non-residential roll?
No, if you are on a non-residential roll, you do not have to vote and will not receive a fine for not voting. It is still compulsory that you vote in the area where you are on the residential roll.
Can I enrol and vote more than once in the same council area?
No. If you are a resident of a council area then you are not permitted to also enrol as a non-resident in that area.
Non-residents who own, occupy, or pay rates on multiple parcels of land in the same area may only be enrolled once for that area. This also applies to corporations, trustees and joint/several owners, occupiers and rate paying lessees of multiple parcels of land – they may nominate only one person to be enrolled on each non-residential roll, if eligible.
Who is eligible to be on a non-residential roll?
You must be eligible to vote at Federal or State elections to be on a non-residential roll. Your eligibility must be based on land within the council area and must not only be used as a car park.
To be on the roll of non-resident owners of rateable land, you must be:
- The sole owner of the rateable land, or
- Nominated as the elector by the joint or several owners of the rateable land, or
- Nominated as the elector by the corporation or trustees who own the rateable land, or
- The lessee of the land from the Crown and the land is rateable Crown land.
To be on the roll of occupiers and rate-paying lessees, you must be:
- The sole occupier or ratepaying lessee of rateable land, or
- Nominated as the elector by the joint or several occupiers or ratepaying lessees of the rateable land, or
- Nominated as the elector by the corporation or trustees who occupy or are the ratepaying lessee of the rateable land, and have the legal right to occupy the land, or be responsible for paying all or part of the rates on the land for 3 years following the date you apply to be on the roll.
How do I apply to be on the non-residential roll?
Use the Form for individual owners, occupiers and ratepaying lessees or Form for nomination of an elector by joint/several, corporate or trustee owners, occupiers or ratepaying lessees to apply to be on a non-residential roll. The general manager of Wingecarribee Shire Council will advise you within 7 days if your enrolment was accepted.
Please note that your completed form must be received by 6.00pm (AEST) on Monday 26 July 2021.
How can I check what roll I am on?
You can check your residential enrolment at check.aec.gov.au or by calling the AEC on 13 23 26.
Contact Wingecarribee Shire Council to check whether you are enrolled on a non-residential roll.
Can I inspect the non-residential rolls?
The general manager will make the latest copy of the non-residential rolls available for public inspection during office hours at Wingecarribee Shire Council, once it has been prepared. Contact Wingecarribee Shire Council if you have questions or concerns about your non-residential enrolment.
Navigating the complex landscape of local government can be challenging for candidates, and if you're interested in being part of the new Civic Leadership Team for Wingecarribee Shire Council and shaping the future of our community, these sessions are for you.
These sessions are run in partnership with the NSW Office of Local Government, Central Coast and Balranald Council and facilitated by John Rayner PSM, former General Manager, Administrator and experienced Local Government Leader.
With insights drawn from examples of both commendable and less-than-ideal Council performances across New South Wales, these sessions will offer invaluable knowledge for any potential councillor.
What to expect:
- Gain an understanding of Council legal provisions and community expectations;
- A look into the function of a governing body of a Council;
- Demystifying the roles and responsibilities of Councillors, including workload and the support available;
- Role of the Mayor within the Council framework;
- Insights into the General Manager's role;
- Clarifying the separation of strategic and operational responsibilities; and
- Key dates every Councillor should be aware of
- Opportunities to ask questions
Session 1 was held on 10 April 2024. The session content can be found below under related information.
The dates for the remaining 2024 sessions are below:
Session 2: 8 May 2024
3:30pm - 7:00pm/Council Chambers
(there will be a short break during this session)
REGISTER FOR THIS SESSION HERE
- Welcome & Introduction - John Rayner
- Conduct - Giselle Tocher - Principal Officer Corruption Prevention - ICAC
- The ballot paper, grouping, preferences, proportional representation etc (including short history of past WSC elections) - Ben Raue, The Tally Room
- Councillor Gordon Bradbery AM, City of Wollongong Lord Mayor
- Lessons from the Public Inquiry - David Parish, Counsel Assisting
Session 3: 12 June 2024
3:30pm - 5:30pm/Council Chambers
- Welcome & Introduction - John Rayner
- What we have done and what's next (including Land Use Planning) - Viv May, Administrator
- Office of Local Government Expectations - Brett Whitworth, Deputy Secretary, Local Government, Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure
- Summary and Question Time
Links to useful information for Candidates
Reports and reviews commissioned by the Administrator can be found below in the Related Information section.
Questions? Email mail@wsc.nsw.gov.au
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is this session for?
This session is for Wingecarribee Shire Councillor Candidates intending to run in the September 2024 election.
Why is this session at 3:30PM?
Wingecarribee Shire Council Meetings are held at 3:30 PM on the third Wednesday of the month. The councillor candidate information sessions are scheduled at this time to align with the typical routine a successful councillor would experience.
Is attendance at these sessions mandatory if I'm running as a councillor candidate in 2024?
No, attendance is not mandatory but is highly encouraged for anyone considering running at the election. The Administrator has advised that he will publish attendance records of the three sessions in 2024 preceding the election.