The Hills Shire

The Hills Shire
New South Wales

Coordinates 33°46′S 151°00′E / 33.767°S 151.000°E / -33.767; 151.000Coordinates: 33°46′S 151°00′E / 33.767°S 151.000°E / -33.767; 151.000
Population 160,339 (2015)[1]
 • Density 415/km2 (1,070/sq mi)
Area 386 km2 (149.0 sq mi)
Time zone AEST (UTC+10)
 • Summer (DST) AEDT (UTC+11)
Mayor Clr Michelle Byrne (Liberal)
Council seat Castle Hill
Region Metropolitan Sydney
State electorate(s)
Federal Division(s)
Website The Hills Shire
LGAs around The Hills Shire:
Hawkesbury Central Coast Council Hornsby
Blacktown The Hills Shire Hornsby
Blacktown Parramatta Parramatta

The Hills Shire (previously Baulkham Hills Shire) is a local government area of in the north western region of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The area encompasses 401 square kilometres (155 sq mi) stretching from the M2 Hills Motorway in the south to Wiseman's Ferry on the Hawkesbury River in the north.

The current Mayor of The Hills Shire is Cr. Michelle Byrne, a member of the Liberal Party. The Mayoral position is soon to be elected by popular vote, ending a system of short term, usually one year, appointment of the Mayor by the elected councillors.

History

A 2015 review of local government boundaries by the NSW Government Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) recommended that The Hills Shire merge with adjoining councils. The government considered two proposals. The first proposed a merger of parts of The Hills with the Hawkesbury City Council to form a new council with an area of 3,161 square kilometres (1,220 sq mi) and support a population of approximately 224,000.[2] 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.[3] Following an independent review, on 12 May 2016 the Minister for Local Government announced that the merger of parts of The Hills Shire suburbs south of the M2 Motorway (North Rocks, Northmead and part of Baulkham Hills) with the City of Parramatta to form a revised City of Parramatta Council, with immediate effect. Other proposals impacting The Hills Shire were rejected by the Government.[4]

Suburbs in the local government area

Suburbs at least partially within The Hills Shire are:

Demographics

At the 2011 census, there were 169,872 people in The Hills local government area, of these 49.4% were male and 50.6% were female. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 0.4% of the population. The median age of people in The Hills Shire was 38 years. Children aged 0 – 14 years made up 21.4% of the population and people aged 65 years and over made up 11.6% of the population. Of people in the area aged 15 years and over, 61.1% were married and 7.2% were either divorced or separated.[5]

Population growth in The Hills Shire between the 2001 Census and the 2006 Census was 15.2%; and in the subsequent five years to the 2011 Census, population growth was 6.58%. When compared with total population growth of Australia for the same periods, being 5.78% and 8.32% respectively, population growth in The Hills local government area was nearly double the national average.[6] The median weekly income for residents within The Hills Shire was approximately 150% higher than the national average.[5][7]

At the 2011 Census, the proportion of residents in The Hills local government area who stated their ancestry as Australian or Anglo-Saxon approached 45% of all residents. In excess of 50% of all residents in The Hills Shire nominated a religious affiliation with Christianity at the 2011 Census, which was in line with the national average of 50.2%. Meanwhile, as at the Census date, compared to the national average, households in The Hills local government area had a higher than average proportion (33.0%) where two or more languages are spoken (national average was 20.4%); and a lower proportion (68.9%) where English only was spoken at home (national average was 76.8%).[5]

Selected historical census data for The Hills local government area
Census year 2001[6]2006[7]2011[5]
Population Estimated residents on Census night 138,420 159,391 169,872
LGA rank in terms of size within New South Wales 9th
% of New South Wales population 2.46%
% of Australian population 0.74% Increase 0.80% Decrease 0.79%
Cultural and language diversity
Ancestry,
top responses 		Australian 22.1%
English 21.5%
Chinese 8.5%
Irish 6.5%
Scottish 5.4%
Language,
top responses
(other than English) 		Cantonese4.4% Increase 4.5% Decrease 4.4%
Mandarin1.5% Increase 2.4% Increase 3.9%
Korean1.3% Increase 1.6% Increase 2.1%
Arabic1.6% Increase 1.8% Increase 1.9%
Hindi0.6% Increase 0.9% Increase 1.3%
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation,
top responses 		Catholic32.3% Increase 32.5% Decrease 31.4%
Anglican22.7% Decrease 20.0% Decrease 18.5%
No Religion10.4% Increase 12.5% Increase 15.7%
Uniting Church6.2% Decrease 5.1% Decrease 4.2%
Hinduism1.6% Increase 2.4% Increase 3.1%
Median weekly incomes
Personal income Median weekly personal income A$625 A$719
% of Australian median income 134.1% Decrease 124.6%
Family income Median weekly family income A$1,732 A$2,188
% of Australian median income 168.6% Decrease 147.7%
Household income Median weekly household income A$1,847 A$2,044
% of Australian median income 157.7% Increase 165.6%

Current composition and election method

The Hills Shire Council is composed of twelve Councillors elected proportionally as four separate wards, each electing three Councillors. All Councillors are elected for a fixed four-year term of office. The Mayor is elected by the Councillors at the first meeting of the Council. The most recent election was held on 8 September 2012, and the makeup of the Council is as follows:[8][9][10][11]

PartyCouncillors
  Liberal Party of Australia 9
  Australian Labor Party 3
Total 12

The current Council, elected in 2012, in order of election by ward, is:

WardCouncillorPartyNotes
Central Ward[8]   Yvonne Keane Liberal Deputy Mayor
  Jeff Lowe Liberal
  Tony Hay Labor
East Ward[9]   Andrew Jefferies Liberal
  Ryan Tracey Labor
  Alan Haselden Liberal
North Ward[10]   Robyn Preston Liberal
  Peter Gangemi Liberal
  Mark Owen Taylor Liberal
West Ward[11]   Michelle Byrne Liberal Mayor[12]
  Raymond Harty Labor
  Mike Thomas Liberal

A referendum was held on 1 September 2015 and an absolute majority of voters resolved in favour of the direct election of the Mayor by electors for a four-year term which necessarily increases the number of Councillors by one.[13] The change will take effect at the next elections in 2017 unless changed by another referendum before then.[14]

Sister cities

See also

References

  1. ↑ "3218.0 – Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2014–15". Australian Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  2. ↑ "Merger proposal: Hawskesbury City Council, The Hills Shire (part)" (PDF). Government of New South Wales. January 2016. p. 7. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  3. ↑ "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.
  4. ↑ "City of Parramatta Council". Stronger Councils. Government of New South Wales. 12 May 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "The Hills Shire (A)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
  6. 1 2 Australian Bureau of Statistics (9 March 2006). "Baulkham Hills (A)". 2001 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
  7. 1 2 Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Baulkham Hills (A)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
  8. 1 2 "The Hills Shire Council - Central Ward". Local Government Elections 2012. Electoral Commission of New South Wales. 17 September 2012. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
  9. 1 2 "The Hills Shire Council - East Ward". Local Government Elections 2012. Electoral Commission of New South Wales. 17 September 2012. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
  10. 1 2 "The Hills Shire Council - North Ward". Local Government Elections 2012. Electoral Commission of New South Wales. 17 September 2012. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
  11. 1 2 "The Hills Shire Council - West Ward". Local Government Elections 2012. Electoral Commission of New South Wales. 17 September 2012. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
  12. ↑ "Michelle Byrne is Hills Shire Mayor". Rosue Hill Times. 26 September 2012. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
  13. ↑ "The Hills Shire Council - Referendum". Local Government Elections 2012. Electoral Commission of New South Wales. 14 September 2012. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
  14. ↑ Bradley, Penelope (14 September 2012). "Hills residents to elect their own mayor". Hill Shire Times. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
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