Referendum on whether locals should choose the Mayor

Kiama locals will get to decide whether they want to directly elect their mayor, in a referendum at next year’s local government elections in September.

It’s the only council in our region where the mayor is decided by councillors .

Wollongong, Shellharbour, Shoalhaven, Eurobodalla and Bega voters all directly elect their mayor.

Meantime a proposal to reduce the number of Kiama councillors from nine to seven, which would also require a referendum, was deferred at Tuesday’s meeting.