Regulator agrees to keep CBRM at 12 councilors and a mayor
The Cape Breton Regional Municipality will continue to have 12 councilors and a mayor, after the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board issued a ruling last week confirming the size of CBRM’s council.
Last year, the municipality had engaged a consultant who advised to halve the number of council members, but the municipality rejected the idea.
But in its ruling, the UARB said there wasn’t enough public consultation on the recommendation to draw solid conclusions.
It also said those who did respond cited cost savings as the main reason for downsizing the council, but no research had been done into the costs and there was no evidence of potential savings.
The UARB said total wages and expenses for 12 council members are about $1.6 million out of a total city budget of $162 million.
“Any difference in the legislative budget with a smaller council would represent an insignificant amount on the CBRM tax rate,” the board said.
‘No evidence… council size doesn’t work’
It also agreed with CBRM, who told the UARB that 12 councilors are needed to maintain representation in rural areas.
“There was no evidence that the current municipality size isn’t working,” the UARB said. “The board is also satisfied that there is no broad social demand for a smaller council.”
The UARB also agreed to CBRM’s request to vary the boundaries of the 12 districts to account for changes in population over time and to reduce variation in the number of voters in each district.
Today’s districts average about 6,800 voters each, but districts seven, eight, and 12 are all 13-19 percent below that average, and district 11 was 13 percent above it.
Under the new limits, which take effect before the next election in October 2024, districts three and four will be 11 percent below average, which are “slight variations” according to the UARB.
The board also commended CBRM and its advisor for conducting “extensive consultation”, despite the lack of response from the public in large numbers.
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