Palerang Council

Palerang
New South Wales

Location in New South Wales
Coordinates 35°15′S 149°27′E / 35.250°S 149.450°E / -35.250; 149.450Coordinates: 35°15′S 149°27′E / 35.250°S 149.450°E / -35.250; 149.450
Population 15,306 (2013 est)[1]
 • Density 2.9813/km2 (7.7215/sq mi)
Established 2004
Area 5,134 km2 (1,982.2 sq mi)
Mayor Pete Harrison
Council seat Bungendore[2]
Region Southern Tablelands
State electorate(s)
Federal Division(s) Eden-Monaro
Website Palerang
LGAs around Palerang:
Yass Valley Upper Lachlan Goulburn Mulwaree
Queanbeyan Palerang Shoalhaven
ACT Cooma-Monaro Eurobodalla

Palerang Council is a local government area located in the Southern Tablelands region of New South Wales, Australia.

The Mayor of the Palerang Council is Cr. Pete Harrison, an independent politician.

Municipal history

Originally known as the Eastern Capital City Regional Council, Palerang was proclaimed on 11 February 2004 when Tallaganda Shire was amalgamated with most of Yarrowlumla Shire and small parts of Cooma-Monaro Shire, Gunning Shire and Mulwaree Shire.

A 2015 review of local government boundaries recommended that the Palerang Council merge with adjoining councils. The NSW Government considered three options. The first two options were to merge parts of the Palerang Council with the Goulburn Mulwaree Council to form a new council with an area of 4,748 square kilometres (1,833 sq mi) and support a population of approximately 31,000;[3] and to merge the remaining parts of Palerang with the City of Queanbeyan to form a new council with an area of 3,791 square kilometres (1,464 sq mi) and support a population of approximately 55,000.[4] The alternative, proposed by Palerang Council on 29 January 2016, was for an amalgamation of the whole of Palerang with Queanbeyan City Council.[5] The outcome of an independent review is expected to be completed by mid–2016.

Towns and localities

The area is named after Mount Palerang, located close to the geographical centre, and one of the highest points in the Council's area. The area covered under administration extends to Lake George in the north, the Tallaganda State Forest in the south, Queanbeyan to the west and the Morton and Budawang National Parks to the east. The Kings Highway and the Sydney-Canberra railway pass through the Palerang Council area.

Predominantly rural in nature, the Palerang Council area comprises the towns of Bungendore, Braidwood and Captains Flat, and the villages of Araluen, Majors Creek, Mongarlowe and Nerriga. It also encompasses the rural residential areas of Wamboin, Bywong, Burra, Urila, Hoskinstown, Rossi and parts of Carwoola, Royalla, and Sutton.

Around two thirds of the Palerang population is concentrated in Bungendore and the rural residential areas adjacent to the Australian Capital Territory border, with many residents commuting daily to Canberra or Queanbeyan. Cattle grazing is the primary agricultural pursuit in the area, with more recent development of niche rural industries such as vineyards, olive groves and alpaca breeding. About one quarter of the Palerang Council area is managed for conservation, with significant areas of national park.

Council

Current composition and election method

Palerang Council is composed of nine Councillors elected proportionally as one entire ward. All Councillors are elected for a fixed four-year term of office. The Mayor is elected by the Councillors at the first meeting of the Council. The most recent election was held on 8 September 2012, and the makeup of the Council is as follows:[6]

PartyCouncillors
  Independents and Unaligned 8
  Country Labor 1
Total 9

The current Council, elected in 2012, in order of election, is:[6]

CouncillorPartyNotes
  Pete Harrison Independent Mayor[7]
  Mark Schweikert Independent
  Belinda Hogarth-Boyd Unaligned Deputy Mayor
  Garth Morrison Country Labor
  Keith France Independent
  Trevor Hicks Independent
  Paul Cockram Independent
  Peter Marshall Unaligned Member of The Greens
  Richard Graham Independent

References

  1. ↑ "3218.0 Regional Population Growth, Australia. Table 1. Estimated Resident Population, Local Government Areas, New South Wales". 3 April 2014. Retrieved 11 September 2014.
  2. ↑ "Palerang Council". Department of Local Government. Retrieved 12 November 2006.
  3. ↑ "Merger proposal: Goulburn Mulwaree Council, Palerang Council (part)" (PDF). Government of New South Wales. January 2016. p. 7. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  4. ↑ "Merger proposal:Palerang Council (part), Queanbeyan City Council" (PDF). Government of New South Wales. January 2016. p. 7. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  5. ↑ Palerang Council (29 January 2016). "Palerang and Queanbeyan City councils Proposal" (PDF). Government of New South Wales. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  6. 1 2 "Palerang Council: Summary of First Preference Votes for each Candidate". Local Government Elections 2012. Electoral Commission of New South Wales. 13 September 2012. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  7. ↑ Mosley, Lisa (26 September 2012). "New Palerang mayor to target roads". ABC News (Australia). Retrieved 7 October 2012.

External links

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