The battle is on for the alderman versus councillor title

Clarence alderman Tony Mulder put forward a motion that elected representatives be known as councillors rather than alderman, with a surprise result.

Alderman Tony Mulder put forward a motion that elected representatives be known as councillors rather than alderman. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE.

CLARENCE City Council elected members will continue to be one among only a handful in the country to keep the title alderman — at least for now.

At Monday night’s meeting, Alderman Tony Mulder put forward a motion that elected representatives be known as councillors rather than alderman.

In his motion, Ald Mulder wrote the term alderman was anachronistic relating more to Saxon law than modern local government.

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The motion was voted against 6-5.

“I think they’re being a bit pretentious,” Ald Mulder said of those who opposed the motion.

“It’s disappointing they weren’t prepared to become contemporary and use the appropriate term. It’s not appropriate — we’re not overseeing a kingdom and managing the courts.

“It was a chance to get ahead of the game.”

Alderman Luke Edmunds said he was surprised to see the vote go the way it went.

“The title alderman is a relic and doesn’t mean much to anyone in 2019 — it should be updated to reflect a modern council that’s in touch with its residents,” he said.

Alderman Luke Edmunds says the title alderman is a relic. Picture: MATT THOMPSON

The concept of shaking off a title that many, especially female members, see as outdated has been debated for many months in the other city councils across Tasmania.

Clarence Mayor and Local Government Association of Tasmania president Doug Chipman, who voted in favour of Ald Mulder’s motion, said he was aware of only three other councils in Australia still using the term alderman — Darwin City, Glenorchy City and some members of Hobart City.

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He said opponents of Ald Mulder’s motion were happy to wait for the change to come about when the Local Government Act review is complete.

“The concern was that unless it was supported across the board, it was better to not have separate titles, that was the view that it would be confusing to have some people as alderman and some as councillors,” he said.

“LGAT is lobbying the State Government to bring about the change [from aldermen to councillor] as part of the review of the Act.”

The review of the Local Government Act is expected to take about two years, with new legislation to be in place by 2020.