View source for Singleton Council

{{Use Australian English|date=October 2012}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{for|the former local government area|Municipality of Singleton}}
{{Infobox Australian place
| type              = lga
| name              = Singleton Council
| state             = nsw
| image             = Singleton LGA NSW.png
| caption           = Location in [[New South Wales]]
| coordinates       = {{coord|32|34|S|151|10|E|type:city_region:AU-NSW|display=inline,title}}
| pop               = 22987
| pop_year          = {{CensusAU|2016}}
| pop_footnotes     = <ref name="Census2016">{{Census 2016 AUS|id=LGA17000|name=Singleton (A)|accessdate=8 December 2017|quick=on}}</ref>
| pop2               = 23422
| pop2_year          = 2018 est.
| pop2_footnotes     = <ref name=ABS3218.0>{{cite web|url=http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/3218.02017-18|title=3218.0 – Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2017-18|publisher=Australian Bureau of Statistics|date=27 March 2019|access-date=27 March 2019}} Estimated resident population (ERP) at 30 June 2018.</ref>
| density           = 
| density_footnotes = 
| est               = {{start date|1976|01|01|df=y}}
| area              = 4893
| area_footnotes    = <ref name=abs2011pop>{{Census 2011 AUS|id=LGA17000|name=Singleton (Local Government Area)|accessdate=10 September 2012|quick=on}}</ref>
| timezone          = [[Australian Eastern Standard Time|AEST]]
| utc               = +10
| timezone-dst      = [[Australian Eastern Daylight Time|AEDT]]
| utc-dst           = +11
| mayor             = Cr Sue Moore<ref name=mayor/>
| dist1             = 
| dir1              = 
| location1         = <!-- Sydney -->
| dist2             = 
| dir2              = 
| location2         = <!-- [[Newcastle, New South Wales|Newcastle]] -->
| seat              = [[Singleton, New South Wales|Singleton]]<ref name="dlg">{{cite web|url=http://www.dlg.nsw.gov.au/dlg/dlghome/dlg_CouncilContactDetails.asp?slacode=7000|title=Council Search – Singleton Council|publisher=[[New South Wales Division of Local Government]]|access-date=10 October 2012}}</ref>
| region            = [[Hunter Region|Hunter]]<ref name=lga>{{cite web|url=http://www.dlg.nsw.gov.au/dlg/dlghome/dlg_Regions.asp?regiontype=2&slacode=7000&region=HT|title=Suburb Search – Local Council Boundaries – Hunter (HT) – Singleton Council|publisher=[[New South Wales Division of Local Government]]|access-date=10 October 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116170127/http://www.dlg.nsw.gov.au/dlg/dlghome/dlg_Regions.asp?regiontype=2&slacode=7000&region=HT|archive-date=16 January 2013}}</ref>
| stategov          = [[Electoral district of Upper Hunter|Upper Hunter]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.elections.nsw.gov.au/District-profiles/upper-hunter|title=Upper Hunter|publisher=[[New South Wales Electoral Commission]] |access-date=23 November 2019}}</ref>
| stategov2         = [[Electoral district of Cessnock|Cessnock]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.elections.nsw.gov.au/District-profiles/cessnock|title=Cessnock|publisher=[[New South Wales Electoral Commission]] |access-date=23 November 2019}}</ref>
| fedgov            = [[Division of Hunter|Hunter]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://apps.aec.gov.au/esearch/LocalitySearchResults.aspx?filter=Hunter&filterby=Electorate|title=Hunter|publisher=[[Australian Electoral Commission]]|date=26 July 2012|access-date=10 October 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005012555/http://apps.aec.gov.au/esearch/LocalitySearchResults.aspx?filter=Hunter&filterby=Electorate|archive-date=5 October 2013}}</ref>
| logo              = Singleton Council Logo.jpg
| url               = http://www.singleton.nsw.gov.au
| near-n            = [[Upper Hunter Shire|Upper Hunter]]
| near-ne           = [[Dungog Shire|Dungog]]
| near-e            = [[City of Maitland|Maitland]]
| near-se           = [[City of Cessnock|Cessnock]]
| near-s            = [[City of Hawkesbury|Hawkesbury]]
| near-sw           = [[Mid-Western Regional Council|Mid-Western]]
| near-w            = [[Muswellbrook Shire|Muswellbrook]]
| near-nw           = [[Muswellbrook Shire|Muswellbrook]]
}}
'''Singleton Council''' is a [[Local government in Australia|local government area]] in the [[Hunter Region]] of [[New South Wales]], [[Australia]]. It is situated adjacent to the [[New England Highway]] and the [[Main North railway line, New South Wales|Main North railway line]].

The [[mayor]] of the council is [[Councillor|Cr.]] Sue Moore, an [[Independent (politician)|independent]] politician.<ref name=mayor/>

Singleton Shire was established on 1 January 1976 with the amalgamation of [[Patrick Plains Shire]] and the [[Municipality of Singleton]].<ref>{{Gazette NSW| title = Local Government Act 1919. Proclamation| issue = 147| page = 4711| date = 14 November 1975| url  = https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/220171209| access-date = 10 January 2020| via = National Library of Australia}}</ref>

== History ==

=== Aboriginal history ===
Singleton and the surrounding area was originally occupied by The [[Wonnarua]] / Wanaruah people and they are the traditional land owners of the Singleton area.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Singleton Council – Aboriginal History|url=https://www.singleton.nsw.gov.au/212/Aboriginal-History|access-date=18 September 2020}}</ref>

=== Early history ===
The town is named after Ben Singleton who explored the area in 1820s . In 1821 he started to occupy the land. In 1823 he started an agistment business on the [[Hunter River (New South Wales)|Hunter River]] and started a flour mill in 1827.In 1829 the town expanded to a post office and an inn.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Singleton, NSW|url=https://www.aussietowns.com.au/town/singleton-nsw|access-date=2020-09-16|website=Aussie Towns|language=en-US}}</ref>

== Main towns and villages ==

The Council area includes [[Singleton, New South Wales|Singleton]], [[Broke, New South Wales|Broke]], [[Bulga, New South Wales|Bulga]], [[Howes Valley, New South Wales|Howes Valley]], [[Putty, New South Wales|Putty]], [[Warkworth, New South Wales|Warkworth]], [[Jerrys Plains, New South Wales|Jerrys Plains]], [[Camberwell, New South Wales|Camberwell]], [[Ravensworth, New South Wales|Ravensworth]], [[Mount Olive, New South Wales|Mount Olive]], [[Carrowbrook, New South Wales|Carrowbrook]], [[Mirranie, New South Wales|Mirranie]], [[Elderslie (Hunter), New South Wales|Elderslie]], [[Belford, New South Wales|Belford]] and [[Branxton, New South Wales|Branxton]].

==Demographics==
At the [[Census in Australia#2011|2011 census]], there were {{formatnum:22694}} people in the Singleton Council local government area, of these 51.3 per cent were male and 48.7 per cent were female. [[Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people]] made up 3.7 per cent of the population, which was higher than the national and state averages of 2.5 per cent. The [[median#Medians for populations|median]] age of people in the Singleton Council area was 35 years, which was slightly lower than the national median of 37 years. Children aged 0 – 14 years made up 22.2 per cent of the population and people aged 65 years and over made up 10.4 per cent of the population. Of people in the area aged 15 years and over, 51.5 per cent were married and 10.5 per cent were either divorced or separated.<ref name=abs2011pop/>

[[File:Hunter Expressway - Singleton LGA Boundary.jpg|thumb|left|Singleton Council boundary, at the western end of the [[Hunter Expressway]] near Black Creek]]

Population growth in the Singleton Council area between the 2001 census and the {{CensusAU|2006}} was 8.12 per cent; and in the subsequent five years to the 2011 census, population growth was 3.45 per cent. When compared with total population growth of Australia for the same periods, being 5.78 per cent and 8.32 per cent respectively, population growth in the Singleton Council local government area was slightly lower than the national average.<ref name="Census2001"/><ref name="Census2006"/> The median [[household income|weekly income]] for residents within the Singleton Council area was marginally higher than the national average.<ref name=abs2011pop/>

At the 2011 census, the proportion of residents in the Singleton Council local government area who stated their [[ancestor|ancestry]] as [[Australians|Australian]] or [[Anglo-Celtic]] exceeded 83 per cent of all residents (national average was 65.2 per cent). In excess of 69% of all residents in the Singleton Council area nominated a [[Religion in Australia|religious]] affiliation with [[Christianity in Australia|Christianity]] at the 2011 census, which was significantly higher than the national average of 50.2 per cent. Meanwhile, as at the census date, compared to the national average, households in the Singleton Council local government area had a significantly lower than average proportion (4.0 per cent) where two or more languages are spoken (national average was 20.4 per cent); and a significantly higher proportion (93.5 per cent) where [[Australian English|English]] only was spoken at home (national average was 76.8 per cent).<ref name=abs2011pop/>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan=6|Selected historical census data for the Singleton Council local government area
|-
!colspan=3|Census year !!2001<ref name="Census2001">{{Census 2001 AUS|id=LGA17000 |name=Singleton (A) |accessdate=23 December 2013 |quick=on}}</ref>!!2006<ref name="Census2006">{{Census 2006 AUS|id=LGA170000 |name=Singleton (A) |accessdate=23 December 2013 |quick=on}}</ref>!!2011<ref name=abs2011pop/>
|-
|rowspan=4 colspan="2"|Population ||Estimated residents on Census night ||align="right"|{{formatnum:20290}} ||align="right"|{{formatnum:21937}} ||align="right"|{{formatnum:22694}}
|-
|align="right"|LGA rank in terms of size within New South Wales ||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"|
|-
|align="right"|% of New South Wales population ||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"|0.33%
|-
|align="right"|% of Australian population ||align="right"|0.11% ||align="right"|{{steady}}&nbsp;0.11% ||align="right"|{{steady}}&nbsp;0.11%
|-
!colspan=3|Cultural and language diversity !! !! !!
|-
|rowspan=5 colspan=2|[[ancestor|Ancestry]],<br />top responses ||[[Australians|Australian]]||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"|36.8%
|-
|[[English people|English]]||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"|31.5%
|-
|[[Irish people|Irish]]||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"|7.8%
|-
|[[Scottish people|Scottish]]||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"|7.3%
|-
|[[German people|German]]||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"|3.6%
|-
|rowspan=5 colspan=2|Language,<br />top responses<br />(other than [[Australian English|English]]) ||[[Afrikaans language|Afrikaans]]||align="right"|n/c ||align="right"|{{gain}}0.1% ||align="right"|{{gain}}&nbsp;0.4%
|-
|[[German language|German]]||align="right"|0.1% ||align="right"|{{gain}}&nbsp;0.2% ||align="right"|{{steady}}&nbsp;0.2%
|-
|[[Italian language|Italian]]||align="right"|n/c ||align="right"|{{steady}}&nbsp;n/c ||align="right"|{{gain}}&nbsp;0.1%
|-
|[[Filipino language|Filipino]]||align="right"|0.1% ||align="right"|{{loss}}&nbsp;n/c ||align="right"|{{gain}}&nbsp;0.1%
|-
|[[Cantonese language|Cantonese]]||align="right"|n/c ||align="right"|{{gain}}&nbsp;0.2% ||align="right"|{{loss}}&nbsp;0.1%
|-
!colspan=3|Religious affiliation !! !! !! 
|-
|rowspan=5 colspan=2|[[Religion in Australia|Religious]] affiliation,<br />top responses ||[[Anglican Church of Australia|Anglican]]||align="right"|38.6% ||align="right"|{{loss}}&nbsp;36.4% ||align="right"|{{loss}}&nbsp;34.6%
|-
|[[Roman Catholic Church in Australia|Catholic]]||align="right"|26.3% ||align="right"|{{loss}}&nbsp;26.2% ||align="right"|{{steady}}&nbsp;26.2%
|-
|[[Irreligion in Australia|No Religion]]||align="right"|9.2% ||align="right"|{{gain}}&nbsp;11.4% ||align="right"|{{gain}}&nbsp;15.5%
|-
|[[Uniting Church of Australia|Uniting Church]]||align="right"|7.5% ||align="right"|{{loss}}&nbsp;7.0% ||align="right"|{{loss}}&nbsp;6.2%
|-
|[[List of Presbyterian denominations in Australia|Presbyterian and Reformed]]||align="right"|3.2% ||align="right"|{{loss}}&nbsp;2.9% ||align="right"|{{loss}}&nbsp;2.8%
|-
!colspan=3|Median weekly incomes !! !! !!
|-
|rowspan=2 colspan=2|Personal income ||Median weekly personal income||align="right"| ||align="right"|A$487 ||align="right"|A$640
|-
|align="right"|% of Australian median income||align="right"| ||align="right"|104.5% ||align="right"|{{gain}}&nbsp;110.9%
|-
|rowspan=2 colspan=2|Family income  ||Median weekly family income||align="right"| ||align="right"|{{AUD}}{{formatnum:1458}}  ||align="right"|{{AUD}}{{formatnum:1927}}
|-
|align="right"|% of Australian median income||align="right"| ||align="right"|124.5% ||align="right"|{{gain}}&nbsp;130.1%
|-
|rowspan=2 colspan=2| [[Household income]] ||Median weekly household income||align="right"| ||align="right"|{{AUD}}{{formatnum:1258}}  ||align="right"|{{AUD}}{{formatnum:1692}}
|-
|align="right"|% of Australian median income||align="right"| ||align="right"|122.5% ||align="right"|{{gain}}&nbsp;137.1%
|-
|}

== Council ==

=== Current composition and election method ===
Singleton Council is composed of ten [[councillor]]s, including the [[mayor]], for a fixed four-year term of office. The mayor is [[Instant-runoff voting|directly]] elected while the nine other councillors are elected [[Single transferable vote|proportionally]] as one entire [[Ward (country subdivision)|ward]]. The most recent election was held on 4 December 2021, and the makeup of the council, including the mayor, is as follows:<ref name=mayor/><ref name=EC/>
[[File:Australia Singleton Council 2021.svg|right|frameless|350x350px]]
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="2"|Party!!Councillors
|-
| {{Australian party style|Independent}}|&nbsp;
| [[Independent (politician)|Independent and unaligned]]
| align=right | 9
|-
| {{Australian party style|Labor}}|&nbsp;
| [[New South Wales Labor Party|Labor]]
| align=right | 1
|-
|
| '''Total'''
| align=right | '''10'''
|}

The current Council, elected in 2021, in order of election by ward, is:<ref name=EC>{{cite web |url=https://pastvtr.elections.nsw.gov.au/LG2101/singleton/councillor |title=Singleton Councillor Election|work=Local Government Elections 2021 |publisher=Electoral Commission of New South Wales |date=23 December 2021 |access-date=19 March 2022}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="2"|Councillor!!Party!!Notes
|-
| {{Australian party style|Independent}}|&nbsp;
| Sue Moore
| [[Independent (politician)|Independent]]
| Mayor<ref name=mayor>{{cite web |url=https://pastvtr.elections.nsw.gov.au/LG2101/singleton/mayoral |title=Singleton Council – Mayoral Election |work=Local Government Elections 2021 |publisher=Electoral Commission of New South Wales |date=21 December 2021 |access-date=19 March 2022}}</ref>
|-
| {{Australian party style|Independent}}|&nbsp;
| Danny Thompson
| [[Independent (politician)|Independent]]
| 
|-
| {{Australian party style|Labor}} |&nbsp;
| Tony Jarrett
| [[New South Wales Labor Party|Labor]]
| 
|-
| {{Australian party style|Independent}}|&nbsp;
| Tony McNamara
| [[Independent (politician)|Independent]]
| 
|-
| {{Australian party style|Independent}}|&nbsp;
| Malinda McLachlan
| [[Independent (politician)|Independent]]
| Left [[Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party]] in December 2022
|-
| {{Australian party style|Independent}}|&nbsp;
| Val Scott
| Unaligned
| 
|-
| {{Australian party style|Independent}}|&nbsp;
| Godfrey Adamthwaite
| [[Independent (politician)|Independent]]
|
|-
| {{Australian party style|Independent}}|&nbsp;
| Sue George
| [[Independent (politician)|Independent]]
| 
|-
| {{Australian party style|Independent}}|&nbsp;
| Belinda Charlton
| [[Independent (politician)|Independent]]
|
|-
| {{Australian party style|Independent}}|&nbsp;
| Hollee Jenkins
| [[Independent (politician)|Independent]]
| 
|}

==Election results==
===2024===
{{excerpt|Results of the 2024 New South Wales local elections in Hunter|section=Singleton results}}

===2022===
{{excerpt|2022 New South Wales local elections|section=Singleton}}

== References ==
{{notelist}}
{{Reflist}}

{{Suburbs of Singleton Council}}
{{Local Government Areas of New South Wales}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Singleton Council| ]]
[[Category:1976 establishments in Australia]]