GAWLER Council will submit its initial application to expand its boundaries later this month, after elected members voted in favour of proceeding with the proposal last week.

At their meeting last Tuesday, elected members voted six to four in favour of endorsing the council’s draft boundary reform bid to be sent to the State Government’s Boundaries Commission.

The application will now be reviewed by the commission, with council expecting to receive feedback in February.

During debate, councillor Paul Koch said neighbouring councils did not build major housing developments nearby “by happenchance”.

“When you look at Hewett, (its) not connected to Kapunda at all, (its) connected to Gawler,” he said.

“It’s not in dispute and it’s the reality.

“The Concordia development – (it says) Gawler will be the centre of their development.

“It’s not by happenchance that Hewett is where (it is) and that Concordia is going to be where (it’ll) be.”

As has been the case since Mayor Karen Redman first put forward her boundary reform motion in May, councillors Ian Tooley and Jim Vallelonga opposed the proposal at last week’s meeting, along with councillors Nathan Shanks and Brian Sambell.

Much of the opposition to the bid from inside the chamber has stemmed from concerns over a lack of public consultation prior to the council pushing ahead with the plan.

During the meeting, Cr Shanks revealed he had begun doorknocking in the Hewett area with Light Regional councillor, Simon Zeller, to gauge community interest in the proposal.

“We have a little two-question survey and we’re going door-to-door to ask these Hewett residents,” he said.

“Unfortunately, I’m the sort of person who needs to be educated before I make a decision.

“The problem for me is leaving the decision to the commission when the decision may already be made in my opinion.”

Council is planning to begin public consultation on the proposal from April to June next year, after it receives feedback from the Boundaries Commission.