The council will send a letter to decision makers, including the Local Government Minister Gabrielle Upton, seeking a change to the Local Government Act.

Cr Justin Levido said the Local Government Act, 1993, has an inbuilt detriment to sitting councillor candidates who run in a by-election for a popularly elected mayor as opposed to non-councillor candidates. 

“The inbuilt detriment is that the election of a sitting councillor candidate forces the electors back to a further by-election for councillor within the next three months.

“This inbuilt detriment became a significant issue during the recent mayoral by-election.”

Cr Levido said he didn’t have the answer and the council probably didn’t have the answer.

“The Office of Local Government may have the answer,” he said.

Cr Levido said he had absolute faith that the general manager would craft a letter that covered the intent of the resolution.

Councillors considered the matter, put forward by Cr Levido, at the August 16 council meeting. The decision was unanimous.