A referendum passed at the same time at the 2012 council elections reduced the number of wards from four to three (Cremorne Ward was abolished) and the number of councillors from 13 to 10, inclusive of the popularly elected mayor, which took effect from the 2017 election. A referendum passed at the 2017 election also altered the system of electing the mayor. Starting in 2020, the mayor will be elected by the councillors from among their members for a two-year term. As the wording of this referendum did not specify a reduction in the number of elected positions in the Council (such as from 10 Councillors to 9), the Office of Local Government required Council to specify a ward structure of equal numbers to each ward: two wards of five councillors or five wards of two councillors. At its extraordinary meeting held on 20 January 2020, the Council voted to adopt a two-ward model on a north/south boundary with the northern ward named "St Leonards Ward" and the southern ward named "Cammeraygal Ward" from the next election.