Town of Northam

Infobox Australian Place | type = lga
name =Town of Northam


state =wa
region =Wheatbelt


imagesize= 180
caption = Location in Western Australia
area =26
est =1879
seat =Northam
pop =6,009 (2001 census)
logo =Northam town logo.png logosize =164

The Town of Northam was a Local Government Area of Western Australia for the town of Northam in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, convert|97|km|mi|0 north-east of the capital, Perth along Great Eastern Highway. The Town had a population of 6,009 as of the 2006 census. [Census 2006 AUS|id=LGA56650|name=Northam (T) (Local Government Area)|accessdate=2007-08-27|quick=on]

In January 2007, the Department of Local Government and Regional Development recommended the council merge with the surrounding Shire of Northam to become a single entity. Following the failure of a referendum on 28 April 2007 within the Shire of Northam to stop the move, the amalgamation will proceed on 1 July 2007.

History

In 1879, the Northam Municipal Council was gazetted. On 1 July 1961, it became the Town Council following changes to the Local Government Act. [WA Electoral Commission, "Municipality Boundary Amendments Register" (release 2.0), 31 May 2003.]

Amalgamation

In September 2006, the Shire received a report into the possibility of merging with the Town of Northam, [cite web|url=http://www.northamshire.wa.gov.au/Shire%20of%20Northam_Town%20of%20Northam_Final_Merger%20Study%20Report_Sept%202006%20doc.pdf|title=Shire and Town of Northam Merger Study Report|author=Kelly LG Services|date=September 2006|accessdate=2006-11-04 - commissioned by Department of Local Government and Regional Development.] and on 31 October 2006, the Local Government Advisory Board received a proposal to that effect from both councils. Public meetings in December 2006 announced that the new council would be known as the Shire of Northam, and would come into existence on 1 July 2007, initially operated by a board of commissioners (two from each entity plus an independent chair). [cite web|url=http://www.dlgrd.wa.gov.au/LocalGovt/Docs%5CNorthamAmalgamationInformationPaper.pdf|title=Proposal to Amalgamate the Shire of Northam and the Town of Northam - Information Paper|author=Local Government Advisory Board|date=November 2006|accessdate=2006-11-15] .

In January 2007, the Local Government Advisory Board officially recommended to the Minister for Local Government that the amalgamation proceed. [cite web|url=http://www.dlgrd.wa.gov.au/LocalGovt/AdvisoryBoard/CurrentInquiries.asp#Northam|title=Proposal to Amalgamate the Shire of Northam and the Town of Northam|author=Local Government Advisory Board|date=March 2007|accessdate=2007-04-21] [cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200702/s1841203.htm|title=Govt green lights Northam town-shire merger|work=ABC Online|date=6 February 2007|accessdate=2007-05-01]

Wards

The town had 9 councillors plus an elected mayor, and no wards.

ee also

* Northam, Western Australia
* Shire of Northam

References