Dardanup council call for more women

Dardanup shire president Mick Bennett has called on women to stand for council after long-serving councillor Betty Murfit confirmed she would not nominate for the upcoming local government elections.

The terms of five councillors - including Frank Papalia, James Lee, Peter Robinson, Danny Harris and Cr Murfit - expire at this October's elections.

The council is reducing the number of seats to nine - leaving four vacancies - but Cr Murfit will step down after more than 24 years of service.

Cr Murfit's decision means Cr Carmel Boyce would be the only elected female member remaining on the council unless another female candidate is elected on October 17.

Cr Bennett said he was disappointed that Cr Murfit would not be nominating because she had shown commitment to the council and the community.

"Her support for council projects and the community has been extraordinary and I would like to replace her with another female councillor with the same commitment and thought for the community," he said.

"I'd be delighted to have six or seven female candidates but I understand people's constraints.

"To have one female councillor on a council with nine seats is not very good."

Cr Boyce said she wanted women from the community to join her on the council.

"I understand that a large demographic of people can't become councillors because they have full-time work or a family but the council meetings starts at 5pm and the council can cover the costs of childcare," she said.

"I've spoken to a couple of women and I hope they nominate themselves but we need people who are committed.

"I'd love to see another female councillor but I've never found the council to be a boys' club and I've never felt disempowered."

Cr Bennett said the council would also target young people in the community but reiterated that he wanted candidates who were committed.

"It's an exciting time for the council at the moment with projects like Wanju and the Waterloo Industrial Park as well as developments in the Eaton town site and Ferguson Valley," he said.

An information session for potential candidates will be held on August 24, with nominations open from September 3-10.