The elected Council
The Council consists of the Mayor and eight Aldermen. Elections are held every four years, with the last election held in March 2008. Contact Council for more information on how you can become an elected member.

Council meetings
Council meetings are held in the Civic Centre Chamber on the last Monday of every month, starting at 6.30pm. The public and media are welcome to attend, but are not allowed to stay for the confidential items that are discussed at the end of each meeting.

Agendas are placed on public display on the Friday before each meeting at the Civic Centre, as well on Council’s website. The Minutes are available in the same format within 10 days following each meeting.

Council Standing Committee Meetings
Almost all Council business is first considered at the Standing Committee Meetings, held on Mondays, two weeks before the each Council meeting, at 5.15pm.

The Standing Committee Meetings allow Alderman and Council staff to go over agenda items in close detail, and make recommendations for the Ordinary Council Meetings held at the end of each month.

There are three committees, comprising of:

Corporate and Community Services - repsonsible for all issues relating to:
• corporate planning
• community development
• sport and recreation
• services to elected members
• public relations
• library and information services
• economic development

Finance - responsible for all issues relating to:
• financial services
• office administration
• information technology
• customer services
• rates and records

Technical Services - responsible for all issues relating to:
• planning and infrastructure
• urban/town development
• environmental policy and strategy
• environmental health
• by-laws compliance
• infrastructure assets maintenance
• infrastructure development
• open space development

Individuals or representatives from organisations may be invited by the Chairperson of these Committees to address them to provide information and present their concerns. If you, or your group, would like to address a Committee, please contact the Council.

Community Advisory Committees
The Town Council establishes Advisory Committees to advise Council on a range of matters. The Advisory Committees include nominated Elected Members, Council Officers and most importantly community people.

Community Action Committees
Most Community Action Groups are formed in response to issues under current discussion by Council. People disagreeing with Council and/or having alternative suggestions may form a Community Action Group to follow the issue and present its views.

It is useful for Council to know that a group is forming so the relevant Council department can provide assistance where appropriate and make sure elected members are provided with their information. Once your Community Action Group is up and running, it is a good idea to open up communication with the Chairperson of the relevant Council Standing Committee.

Community Feedback Community input and feedback is essential to helping Local Government stay in touch with community needs. There are many ways in which individuals or community groups can make their views known to Council.

Do not hesitate to call your Elected Members to seek advice, to express opinions and concerns, or to draw attention to problems that you feel need addressing. Contact details for the current elected members are listed below:

His Worship the Mayor Mr Damien Ryan
5 Amadeus Place, Alice Springs
PO Box 1071, Alice Springs
fax 8953 0558
mobile 0428 825 392

Deputy Mayor Murray Stewart
28 Lackman Terrace, Alice Springs
PO Box 1805, Alice Springs
fax 8952 1335
mobile 0407 256 428

Alderman Brendan Heenan
3 Palm Circuit, Alice Springs
PO Box 2412, Alice Springs
mobile 0418 897 029

Alderman John Rawnsley
48 Patterson Crescent, Alice Springs
PO Box 4391, Alice Springs
mobile 0439 881 009

Alderman Liz Martin
2 Norris Bell Avenue, Alice Springs
PO Box 3387, Alice Springs
mobile 0421 771 412

Alderman Samih Habib
33 Cavenagh Crescent, Alice Springs
PO Box 3160, Alice Springs
mobile 0411 661 963

Alderman Jane Clark
13 Abrahams Crescent, Alice Springs
PO Box 1008, Alice Springs

Alderman Sandy Taylor
10 Kempeana Crescent, Alice Springs

Alderman Melanie van Haaren
Unit 5 / 14 McMinn Street, Alice Springs
PO Box 5111, Alice Springs
fax 8952 0201
mobile 0448 885 078

Write a letter
Writing a letter is also a good way to get your message to Council as it means there will be a written record of your correspondence. Address your letter to:

The Chief Executive Officer
Alice Springs Town Council
PO Box 1071
ALICE SPRINGS NT 0871

Your correspondence will be forwarded to the relevant department and your concern, comment or question will be addressed. Alternatively your letter may be included on a Council meeting agenda for discussion, after which you will receive a response.

The Alice Springs Town Council Crest
The Council’s Crest is used only on official Council items such as the flag and Mayoral letterhead. On the left side a horse rampant and on the right side a bull rampant. Crest, arms and supporters mounted on a weath of colours being the Desert Rose.

The Alice Springs Town Council corporate logo
The Council’s corporate logo is used on all promotional material, as well as signage.

A brief history behind the first Council
On 29 November 1888 the town of Stuart was gazetted, and on 13 August 1933 its name was changed to Alice Springs. In late 1960, the Alice Springs Town Planning Advisory Committee was set up in Darwin as an advisory body, and included local representatives Neil Hargraves and Bern Kilgariff. However, the demands of the rapidly expanding town of Alice Springs were becoming more difficult for a government situated so far away.

The Alice Springs Town Management Board (ASTMB) was gazetted On 26 April 1961, when the town’s population was in the vicinity of 5,000. The Board held their first meeting on 12 May. Their job was to act as go-between for the Government and the residents of Alice Springs. In 1967, Brian Martin was elected chairman of the Board and Len Kittle his deputy. The first proposal put forward for local government was rejected by the Board after continuing debate.

At its meeting on 16 January 1968, the Board was informed that the Minister of State for Territories had approved a package proposal for the introduction of local government in Alice Springs. Duties to be taken over included construction and maintenance of roads, footpaths, drainage, street cleaning, sanitary and garbage clearance, the maintenance and improvement of recreation grounds, reserves, parks and playgrounds, cemeteries, and pounds, mosquito prevention, street lighting, Municipal Depot, and dog registration.

On 6 February 1968, the Board sought further information and clarification on some matters before they would give proper consideration on the subject.
On 6 February 1971, Mr F. C. Chaney, Administrator of the Northern Territory, wrote to the Board with a new proposal and an amended target date of 1 July 1971.

On the 12 February 1971, the Board decided to recommend to the people of Alice Springs acceptance of the new proposal, providing satisfactory replies were received to certain questions. Residents were reluctant to accept moving toward having a local government, saying greater costs would be incurred by residents and that too few people were experienced enough to manage local government adequately. A referendum was called and despite the minimal response by voters, on 1 March 1971 the Board advised that the proposal had been accepted. Preparations to elect the first Alice Springs Town Council were then put in motion.

It was a time of rapid growth in Central Australia. The United States-Australian Joint Defence Space Research Facility at Pine Gap became operational in 1970 with hundreds of personnel, both Australian and American, bringing a boost to the town’s economy. By 1971, as the population reached just over 11,000, Alice Springs was considered the fastest growing centre in the Northern Territory.

On 1 July 1971 Alice Springs became a municipality, and the first local government was elected. There was some people in the community who opposed the idea of local government, but despite this a large percentage of the community who were eligible to vote turned out for the first election on 25 June 1971. Jock Nelson won the position of Mayor in a landslide victory over five other candidates. There were eight Aldermen elected, who were: Mrs MJ Brown; BF Martin; PAE Everingham; LJ Kittle; DI Baldock; KA McPhee; PA Leunig; and AF Dunstan.

A full history of the Alice Springs Town Council from it’s inception can be found on Council’s website, www.alicespring.nt.gov.au