Shrink CBRM council: report

A consultant is recommending fewer councillors in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, dropping from 16 to 12.

The municipality hired Stantec Consulting Ltd. to determine an appropriate council size, thensuggest new district boundaries based on that number.

In a report obtained by CBC News, the consulting firm concluded that 12 councillors was sufficient after looking at other Canadian municipalities and surveying voters in the CBRM.

Stanteccomparedthe CBRM to other municipalities with similar populations or geographic areas and determined there should be between 10 and 12 councillors.

Thefirm also commissioned a telephonepoll of people who had voted in any of the last three municipal elections. While the single largest group of respondents was content with the current size of council, overall, the majority called for fewer councillors from three to 15.

Stantec willpresentits reportto regional council on Tuesday night. If accepted, the consulting firm will determine how district boundaries will be redrawn to reflect the smaller council size.

Council has until December to submit its boundary review application to the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board.