Inner West Council: Election poll to ask how mayor is elected

More than 185,000 inner west residents would be able to directly elect their own leader and create a powerful new voice in Sydney’s inner suburbs. Find out how.

Inner West Council voters on December 4 will vote on who they want on council, whether the council should be split up into three and another major change to local democracy – if the mayor gets his way.

Mayor Darcy Byrne is proposing, among several changes to the ballot, locals vote on whether they want the next person in the job voted in by the people or by councillors.

As part of a motion going before council next week, Cr Byrne is also proposing locals have a say on whether the state government should pay all costs related to splitting up into the Marrickville, Leichhardt and Ashfield councils again.

Cr Byrne is proposing to get residents to vote on how his council elects its mayor. Picture: Jordan Shields

“$26 million upfront and $21 million ongoing (in costs) if the result of the poll goes for it,” Cr Byrne said.

“And if they vote for de-amalgamation I will advocate for that in line with the community. I would respect the outcome and advocate for it to happen.”

Councillors vote for the mayor on the majority of NSW councils, including the inner west.

The mayor has also been pushing for the state government to pay any costs if his council splits back into three again. Picture: Monique Harmer

Very few in Sydney have a “first past the post” policy for who is voted mayor.

Despite this year’s council election being postponed until December, councillors will still vote in a mayor in September for a three-month term.

Only Cr Byrne has publicly put his hand up.The Inner West Courier has been canvassing which other councillors would participate in a mayoral candidate debate.

Residents will elect 15 new councillors in December. Picture: Christian Gilles

Its agenda meeting documents revealed earlier this year splitting up the council would cost close to $50 million. Picture: Christian Gilles

Cr Byrne recently avoided being suspended from office after findings of misconduct in a tribunal earlier this month, which would have prevented him from participating in the internal mayoral vote.

The tribunal suspended his pay for three months after finding he breached code of conduct rules in 2019 by asking a councillor to apologise during a meeting for comments made on Facebook about him without disclosing he sent her a legal threat just hours before.