Cumberland City Council

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For the defunct Cumberland County Council abolished in 1964, see County of Cumberland, New South Wales.
Cumberland Council
New South Wales
Cumberland Council LGA Sydney 2016.png
Location in Metropolitan Sydney
Population
  • 216,079 (2016 census)[1] (15th)
  • 236,893 (2018 est.)[2]
 • Density3,001/km2 (7,770/sq mi)
Established12 May 2016 (2016-05-12)
Area72 km2 (27.8 sq mi)[3]
MayorSteve Christou
Council seatAdministration Centre, Merrylands
RegionGreater Western Sydney
State electorate(s)
Federal division(s)
Cumberland City Council logo.svg
WebsiteCumberland Council
LGAs around Cumberland Council:
Parramatta Parramatta Parramatta
Blacktown Cumberland Council Strathfield
Fairfield Canterbury-Bankstown Canterbury-Bankstown

The Cumberland City Council (formally Cumberland Council) is a local government area located in the western suburbs of Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The Council was formed on 12 May 2016 from the merger of parts of the Cities of Auburn, Parramatta (Woodville Ward), and Holroyd.[3][4]

The Council comprises an area of 72 square kilometres (28 sq mi) and as at the 2016 census had a population of 216,079.[1]

The first Special Meeting of Cumberland Council was held on 19 May 2016 at the Granville Town Hall, and the council currently meets at the Merrylands Administration Centre.[5][6]

The current mayor is Steve Christou, elected on 25 September 2019 and re-elected in 2021.[7][8]

Suburbs and localities in the local government area[]

Suburbs in the Cumberland City Council area are:[9]

History[]

Holroyd Council[]

The Holroyd Administration Centre in Merrylands, now the Cumberland Council seat, was the Holroyd seat from 1962.

The area formerly known as the City of Holroyd was first proclaimed in July 1872 as the "Municipal District of Prospect and Sherwood", which became the "Municipality of Prospect and Sherwood" from 1906 and on 11 January 1927 it was renamed the "Municipality of Holroyd" after Arthur Holroyd, the first mayor.[10][11] From 1 January 1991, city status was granted, becoming the City of Holroyd. Originally located at the Council Chambers in Merrylands West from 1915, the administrative centre of Holroyd was located in the suburb of Merrylands from 1962.[12]

Auburn Council[]

The opening of the second Auburn Town Hall, Auburn Road, 12 July 1927.

To the east of Holroyd, the City of Auburn was first proclaimed on 19 February 1892 as the "Borough of Auburn" and became the "Municipality of Auburn" in 1906.[13] On 20 June 1906, the hitherto unincorporated area around Silverwater and Newington was combined into the Municipality of Auburn.[14]

The eastern section of Auburn was originally proclaimed as the Borough of Rookwood on 8 December 1891 and in 1913 Rookwood was renamed "Lidcombe", a portmanteau of the names of the two previous mayors, in an attempt to distance the municipality from the necropolis.[15] On 1 January 1949, with the passing of the Local Government (Areas) Act 1948, the Municipalities of Auburn and Lidcombe were amalgamated to form the new "Municipality of Auburn". In 1993 Auburn Municipal Council became "Auburn Council" and was granted city status in 2008, becoming the "Auburn City Council".

Woodville Ward[]

The area known as the Woodville Ward of the City of Parramatta until the amalgamations in May 2016, was first incorporated as the "Borough of Granville" on 20 January 1885, which became the "Municipality of Granville" from 1906, and met in the Granville Town Hall when it was completed in 1888.[16]

On 1 January 1949, with the passing of the Local Government (Areas) Act 1948, the municipalities of Granville, Dundas, Ermington and Rydalmere, and Parramatta were amalgamated to form the new "City of Parramatta". Granville municipality became the "Granville Ward" and the council meetings of the new Parramatta City were held at the Granville Town Hall from 1949 until the new administration centre was opened in Parramatta in 1958. In 1995 a reorganisation of Parramatta's wards resulted in Granville Ward being renamed "Woodville Ward" after Woodville Road while the former Granville Municipality suburbs of Harris Park, Rosehill, Telopea, and northern sections of Granville and Clyde, were moved into the Elizabeth Macarthur Ward.[16]

Establishment of Cumberland Council[]

Granville Town Hall was the location of the first meeting of Cumberland Council on 19 May 2016.

A 2015 review of local government boundaries by the NSW Government Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal recommended a major reorganisation for the area covered by Auburn, Holroyd and Parramatta councils. The government considered two proposals. The first was a merger of parts of Auburn, Holroyd and Parramatta to form a new council with an area of 72 square kilometres (28 sq mi) and support a population of approximately 219,000.[17] The second proposed a merger of parts of Parramatta, Auburn, The Hills, Hornsby, and Holroyd to form a new council with an area of 82 square kilometres (32 sq mi) and support a population of approximately 215,725.[18]

On 12 May 2016, Cumberland Council was proclaimed as a new local government area, combining parts of Auburn City Council (south of the M4 Western Motorway), the Woodville Ward of the Parramatta City Council, and the majority of the Holroyd City Council.[4] The remainder of the Auburn City Council area north of the M4 Western Motorway (including parts of the Sydney Olympic Park) and a small section of Holroyd was merged into the reconstituted City of Parramatta Council.[19][4]

Cumberland Council logo used from May 2016 to February 2017.

The former General Manager of Mosman Council (1986–2013), Viv May PSM, who had been serving as the Administrator of the suspended Auburn City Council since February 2016, was appointed as the Administrator, and the long-serving Holroyd General Manager, Merv Ismay, was appointed as interim general manager.[4] The first Special Meeting of Cumberland Council was held on 19 May 2016, at the Granville Town Hall, the historic former seat of the Granville Municipality, which merged with Parramatta in 1949.[5][20] Subsequent Council meetings alternated between the Merrylands Administration Building and Auburn Civic Centre, until December 2016 when May decided that the Auburn council chambers would be taken over by the Auburn Library, and all council meetings from then to be held at Merrylands.[5][21]

After undertaking a significant amount of work to rationalise council services and staff, noting that "Auburn had issues with flagrant rezoning, and Holroyd was over-promising and underdelivering, living in a financial fantasy with many of its projects", May's term as Administrator came to an end in September 2017, with the election of the first council.[22] The former Mayor of Holroyd, Greg Cummings, was elected as the inaugural Mayor of Cumberland Council on 27 September 2017.[23]

"City" trading name[]

On 18 December 2019, the mayor Steve Christou presented a mayoral minute to Council recommending that Cumberland Council begin trading as "Cumberland City Council", by changing the Council's trading name and business registration. The motion was passed 7-7 with the casting vote of the mayor, and the name change to "Cumberland City Council" was implemented from January 2020.[24][25] However, this did not legally confer city status on the council as it had merely changed the trading name of the council, the legal name as proclaimed in 2016 remains "Cumberland Council", which can only be changed by official proclamation of the Governor in the NSW Government Gazette under section 206 of the Local Government Act, 1993.[26][27]

Heritage listings[]

The Cumberland Council area has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

Demographics[]

At the 2016 census there were 216,079 people in the Cumberland local government area, of these 51.4 per cent were male and 48.6 per cent were female. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 0.6 per cent of the population; significantly below the NSW and Australian averages of 2.9 and 2.8 per cent respectively. The median age of people in the Cumberland local government area was 32 years; significantly lower than the national median of 38 years. Children aged 0 – 14 years made up 20.5 per cent of the population and people aged 65 years and over made up 11.2 per cent of the population. Of people in the area aged 15 years and over, 53.3 per cent were married and 9.8 per cent were either divorced or separated.[1]

Selected historical census data for Cumberland Council local government area
Census year 2016[1]
Population Estimated residents on census night 216,079
LGA rank in terms of size within New South Wales 7th
% of New South Wales population 2.89%
% of Australian population 0.92%
Cultural and language diversity
Ancestry,
top responses		 Lebanese 11.3%
Chinese 10.8%
Australian 10.1%
English 8.8%
Indian 7.1%
Language,
top responses
(other than English)		 Arabic 15.2%
Mandarin 6.3%
Cantonese 4.5%
Tamil 3.1%
Turkish 3.1%
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation,
top responses		 Catholic 24.0%
Islam 21.9%
No religion, so described 13.8%
Hinduism 10.2%
Not stated 8.2%
Median weekly incomes
Personal income Median weekly personal income A$501
% of Australian median income
Family income Median weekly family income A$1,436
% of Australian median income
Household income Median weekly household income A$1,379
% of Australian median income

Facilities[]

Greystanes/Pemulwuy industrial area, which was formerly a quarry zone.

There are eight libraries located throughout the local government area.[33] There are also five council-run swimming pools. On 9 September 2017 a poll put to the residents by council asked for their views on continuing to run all five pools, given that their operating costs took up 2% of council revenue. The poll returned a result of 74% in favour of continuing council operation of all the pools.[34]

Located partially in the region, the Smithfield-Wetherill Park Industrial Estate is the largest industrial estate in the southern hemisphere and is the centre of manufacturing and distribution in western Sydney, with more than 1,000 manufacturing, wholesale, transport and service firms.[35]

Council[]

The Cumberland City Council comprises fifteen Councillors elected proportionally, with three Councillors elected in five wards. On 9 September 2017 the first council was elected.[3] The Mayor is elected bi-annually and Deputy Mayor annually by the councillors at the first meeting of the council.[4]

Mayor Term Notes
PSM (Administrator) 12 May 2016 – 27 September 2017 Town Clerk/General Manager of Mosman 1986–2013, Administrator of Auburn 2016[4][36][22]
Greg Cummings (ALP/IND) 27 September 2017 – 25 September 2019 Mayor of Holroyd 2008–2009, 2014–2016[23]
Steve Christou (OLC) 25 September 2019 – date [7]
Deputy Mayor Term Notes
Eddy Sarkis (OLC) 27 September 2017 – 26 September 2018 Deputy Mayor of Holroyd 2005–2007[23]
Glenn Elmore (ALP) 26 September 2018 – 25 September 2019 [37]
Eddy Sarkis (OLC) 25 September 2019 – 30 September 2021 [7]
Michael Zaiter (LIB) 30 September 2021 – date [8]
General Manager Term Notes
Merv Ismay 12 May 2016 – 2 June 2016 General Manager of Holroyd 2007–2016[4]
Malcolm Ryan 2 June 2016 – 22 November 2017 [38]
Hamish McNulty 22 November 2017 – 22 April 2021 Acting until July 2018[39]
Peter Fitzgerald (acting) 22 April 2021 – date [40][41]

Current composition[]

The most recent election was held on 4 December 2021, and the makeup of the Council, by order of election, is as follows:

Party Councillors
  Australian Labor Party 8
  Our Local Community 4
  Independents 3
Total 15
Ward Councillor Party Notes
Granville Ward[42]   Steve Christou Our Local Community Elected 2017; Mayor 2019–date; Labor member until 2019.[43][44]
  Ola Hamed Labor Elected 2017.
  Joseph Rahme Independent Elected 2017 (Liberal); Holroyd North Ward Councillor 2012–2016.
Greystanes Ward[45]   Diane Colman Labor
  Greg Cummings Independent Elected 2017; Mayor 2017–2019; Labor member until 2018.[46]
  Eddy Sarkis Our Local Community Elected 2017; Deputy Mayor 2017–2018, 2019-date.
Regents Park Ward[47]   Kun Huang Labor Elected 2017.
  Sabrin Farooqui Labor
  Helen Hughes Our Local Community
South Granville Ward[48]   Glenn Elmore Labor Elected 2017; Deputy Mayor 2018–2019.
  Paul Garrard Our Local Community Elected 2017; Lord Mayor of Parramatta, 2009–2010, 2015–2016.
  Mohamad Hussein Labor
Wentworthville Ward[49]   Suman Saha Labor Elected 2017.
  Lisa Lake Labor Elected 2017; Holroyd North Ward Councillor 2012–2016.
  Michael Zaiter Independent Elected 2017 (Liberal); Holroyd East Ward Councillor 2012–2016.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Cumberland (A)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 5 July 2017. Edit this at Wikidata
  2. ^ "3218.0 – Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2017-18". Australian Bureau of Statistics. 27 March 2019. Retrieved 27 March 2019. Estimated resident population (ERP) at 30 June 2018.
  3. ^ a b c "Cumberland Council". Stronger Councils. Government of New South Wales. 12 May 2016. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g "Local Government (City of Parramatta and Cumberland) Proclamation 2016 [NSW] - Schedule 2 - Provisions for Cumberland Council". NSW Government. 12 May 2016. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  5. ^ a b c "Minutes of the Extraordinary Council of Cumberlandl" (PDF). Cumberland Council. 19 May 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 June 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  6. ^ "Business Papers". Cumberland Council. Archived from the original on 24 August 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  7. ^ a b c "New Cumberland Mayor elected" (Media Release). Cumberland City Council. 25 September 2019. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  8. ^ a b "Councillor Steve Christou re-elected as Cumberland City Council Mayor" (Media Release). Cumberland City Council. 1 October 2021. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  9. ^ "Cumberland Council Wards" (PDF). Stronger Councils. Government of New South Wales. 12 May 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  10. ^ "Government Gazette Proclamations and Legislation". New South Wales Government Gazette (186). New South Wales, Australia. 5 July 1872. p. 1711. Retrieved 18 November 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. ^ "LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT, 1919". Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales (8). New South Wales, Australia. 21 January 1927. p. 305. Retrieved 18 November 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ^ Stevens, Kylie (12 February 2016). "Plaque unveiled at former Holroyd council chambers in Arcadia Street". Fairfield City Champion. Archived from the original on 21 April 2018. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  13. ^ "Government Gazette Proclamations and Legislation". New South Wales Government Gazette (122). New South Wales, Australia. 20 February 1892. p. 1457. Retrieved 14 November 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  14. ^ "PROCLAMATION". Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales (184). New South Wales, Australia. 27 June 1906. p. 3727. Retrieved 15 November 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  15. ^ "Government Gazette Proclamations and Legislation". New South Wales Government Gazette (782). New South Wales, Australia. 10 December 1891. p. 9683. Retrieved 14 November 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  16. ^ a b History of the Woodville Ward of the Parramatta City Council, Holroyd City Council Library Service, 2016
  17. ^ "Merger proposal: Auburn City Council (part), Holroyd City Council (part), Parramatta City Council (part)" (PDF). Government of New South Wales. January 2016. p. 7. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  18. ^ "Merger proposal: Parramatta City Council (part), Auburn City Council (part), The Hills Shire Council (part), Hornsby Shire Council (part), Holroyd City Council (part)" (PDF). Government of New South Wales. January 2016. p. 8. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  19. ^ Saulwick, Jacob; Kembrey, Melanie; McKenny, Leisha (14 May 2016). "NSW council amalgamations announced". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  20. ^ Stevens, Kylie (20 May 2016). "Cumberland Council administrator Viv May runs first meeting at Granville Town Hall". Fairfield City Champion. Archived from the original on 21 April 2018. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  21. ^ May, Viv (21 December 2016). "Administrator's Minute – Auburn Council Chambers" (PDF). Meeting of the Council 21 December 2016. Cumberland Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 March 2018. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
  22. ^ a b Taouk, Maryanne (8 September 2017). "OUTGOING ADMINISTRATOR VIV MAY WARNS INCOMING COUNCILLORS "DON'T WASTE OPPORTUNITY"". Parramatta Advertiser. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  23. ^ a b c Stevens, Kylie (28 September 2017). "Greg Cummings is Cumberland Council mayor". Parramatta Sun. Archived from the original on 29 September 2017. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  24. ^ "Minutes of Council Meeting, 18 December 2019: Mayoral Minute – Cumberland City Council" (PDF). Cumberland Council. 18 December 2019. p. 2. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  25. ^ "Cumberland gets city status". Cumberland City Council. 3 January 2020. Archived from the original on 27 February 2020. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  26. ^ "Cumberland Council - Notice of Road Closure". NSW Government Gazette (240): 5. 4 June 2021.
  27. ^ "Local Government Act 1993 No 30 - sec.206". NSW Legislation. NSW Government. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  28. ^ "Lower Prospect Canal Reserve". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Office of Environment and Heritage. H01945. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  29. ^ "Linnwood". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Office of Environment and Heritage. H01661. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  30. ^ "Pipehead, water supply canal and associated works". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Office of Environment and Heritage. H01629. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  31. ^ "Prospect Hill". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Office of Environment and Heritage. H01662. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  32. ^ "Essington". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Office of Environment and Heritage. H00204. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  33. ^ "Libraries - Cumberland Council". Cumberland Council.
  34. ^ "Cumberland - Poll". NSW Local Council Elections 2017. NSW Electoral Commission. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  35. ^ Smithfield-Wetherill Park
  36. ^ "Viv May calls it a day" (Media Release). Mosman Council. 24 July 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  37. ^ "Cumberland Council elects new Deputy Mayor" (Media Release). Cumberland Council. 27 September 2018. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  38. ^ "General Manager appointed to Cumberland Council". Cumberland Council. 30 May 2016. Archived from the original (Media Release) on 22 June 2017. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  39. ^ "Malcolm Ryan steps down as General Manager" (Media Release). Cumberland Council. 22 November 2017. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  40. ^ "Cumberland City Council welcomes acting general manager" (Media Release). Cumberland City Council. 22 April 2021. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  41. ^ Barton, Nicola (4 May 2021). "Cumberland City Council in safe hands". Parra News. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  42. ^ "Cumberland - Granville Ward". NSW Local Council Elections 2021. NSW Electoral Commission. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  43. ^ "Cumberland mayor quits Labor". Parramatta Advertiser. 26 September 2019. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  44. ^ "Mayor's defection slammed". Torch Publishing. localnewsplus. 1 October 2019. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  45. ^ "Cumberland - Greystanes Ward". NSW Local Council Elections 2021. NSW Electoral Commission. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  46. ^ "Mayor shafted from ALP". Parramatta Advertiser. 26 September 2018. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  47. ^ "Cumberland - Regents Park Ward". NSW Local Council Elections 2021. NSW Electoral Commission. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  48. ^ "Cumberland - South Granville Ward". NSW Local Council Elections 2021. NSW Electoral Commission. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  49. ^ "Cumberland - Wentworthville Ward". NSW Local Council Elections 2021. NSW Electoral Commission. Retrieved 21 December 2021.

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