This is the question one councillor would like to see put to the people.

Peter Epov has a notice of motion before this week's September 22 ordinary meeting seeking to have this referendum question put to electors at the December 4 local government elections.

His motion seeks to have: "MidCoast Council recognise that the ratepayers and residents are entitled to determine the method of election for the position of mayor."

Currently the mayor and deputy mayor are elected by councillors each September.

Both positions will again be put to the vote at this week's council meeting.

For those councils with popularly elected mayors, the positions will be decided at the December 4 local government elections.

Cr Epov states in his notice that when MidCoast Council was formed through the amalgamation of Greater Taree, Great Lakes and Gloucester councils in 2016, "it was very clear that (the election of a mayor by councillors) was not intended to be a permanent condition but only for the first term."

In August 2019 and again in September 2020, Cr Kathryn Bell put forward a motion, second by Cr Epov, seeking a "constitutional referendum ... to allow ratepayers and residents to determine the method of election of the mayor." That motion was defeated on both occasions.

"Anecdotally, it is very well-defined that a broad cross-section of the community would like to exercise their democratic right to determine the method of election of their mayor," his submission to council states.

"This motion is about restoring public confidence by giving the residents and ratepayers their democratic right to determine how their mayor is elected."

General manager, Adrian Panuccio says in the report to council that discussions with the NSW Electoral Commission indicate the approximate cost of a referendum with one questions would be about 10 per cent of the total election cost.

The September 2020 election, postponed to December due to COVID-19, was estimated to cost $719,000, so a one question referendum would cost $71,900.

Mr Panuccio said council has $770,000 in reserve for the 2021 election.

The NSW Electoral Commission must receive a copy of council's resolution with the poll/question no later than noon, October 25, the report stated.

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