There are 137 local government areas (LGAs) in Western Australia, which comprise 27 cities, 102 shires, and 8 towns that manage their own affairs to the extent permitted by the Local Government Act 1995. The Local Government Act 1995 also makes provision for regional local governments (referred to as "regional councils", established by two or more local governments for a particular purpose.Refer Part 3 Division 4 of the

There are three classifications of local government in Western Australia: Citypredominantly urban, plus seven significant regional centres Shirepredominantly rural or outer suburban areas, plus the Shire of Peppermint Grove Townpredominantly inner urban, plus the Town of Port Hedland

The Shire of Christmas Island and the Shire of Cocos (Keeling) Islands are federal external territories and covered by the Indian Ocean Territories (Administration of Laws) Act 1992, which allows the Western Australian Local Government Act 1995 to apply "on-island" as though it were a Commonwealth act. Nonetheless, Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands are not parts of Western Australia.

History

Land was originally granted in the Swan River Colony under regulations which allowed for land commissioners to assess a tax on private allotments to fund the construction and maintenance of "roads, paths and plantations". As the Colony began to develop, the first form of local government was established in some areas under the . These trusts were empowered to elect ratepayers as trustees and assess and collect a property tax for the construction of roads. Many of these town trusts, including the Perth Town Trust, experienced severe administrative and financial difficulties, and in some cases barely functioned at all. The Guildford Town Trust lasted only a couple of years before ceasing to function until it was reconstituted in 1863.

The and improved matters by allowing for the establishment of roads boards and municipal corporations.District Roads Act 1871. Municipal corporations had the capacity to levy property taxes, pass municipal by-laws and undertake various local regulatory services previously carried out by colonial officials and other central bodies. Corporations could also establish civic institutions and facilities with the governors' consent, including libraries and botanical gardens. Road Boards where strictly limited to the construction of roads, could not levy property taxes and depended on colonial government grants for any expenditures.

Women were permitted to be elected to road boards from 1911 and to municipal corporations from 1919. The influence of town clerk W. E. Bold and the Greater Perth Movement around this time led to the amalgamation of inner city local governments to create a greatly expanded City of Perth until 1993, when the City was broken up once again.

The first local government department was established by the state in 1949 to guide local government authorities.Committee for Perth (September 2009) ‘Successful’ Metropolitan Local Government Models: Potential Lessons for Perth Following the war local governments increasingly expanded their services from property, health and local infrastructure (roads, drainage) to community and social services. This was termed the "New Order" at the time, and encompassed the development of community centres, infant health clinics and sporting facilities.

Only a few citiesFremantle, Nedlands, Perth, South Perth, and Subiacoexisted prior to 1961. On 1 July 1961, all road districts became shires, and all municipalities became towns or cities. This structure has continued till the present day.

In the 1970s, the scope of local government services expanded to encompass the provision of nursing homes and other forms of aged care.

During the late 1980s, and early 1990s a bi-partisan reform process led to the Local Government Act 1995, which amongst other changes, established for the first time a clear separation of responsibility between elected councillors and local government administration. Other key changes included a significant reduction in the number of decisions requiring ministerial approval which allowed for streamlined decision-making and greater local government autonomy.

Although successive state governments have periodically promoted municipal amalgamation, only a small number of local governments have merged over the course of Western Australia's history. Historically most local governments have strongly resisted forced amalgamationsConsolidation in Local Government: A Fresh Look (May 2011), p16 and the total number of authorities has declined only marginally over the last century. The most recent state government led effort to encourage the voluntary amalgamation of 30 metropolitan local governments into 16 was abandoned by the Barnett government in 2014.

In 2017, the McGowan government initiated a review process to reform the Local Government Act 1995.

Metropolitan LGAs

The 30 metropolitan local government areas (LGAs) comprise 20 cities, 3 shires, and 7 towns.

Local government area Council seat Year est. Land area Estimated resident population, 30 June 2018. Population density (km²) Population Notes km² sq mi 2021 2022 Armadale, City of Armadale 1894 180 97,650 100,737 Armadale-Kelmscott until 1979 Bassendean, Town of Bassendean 1901 1,605 16,505 16,601 West Guildford until 1922 Bayswater, City of Morley 1897 2,084 71,796 72,145 Belmont, City of Cloverdale 1898 1,111 43,873 44,258 Cambridge, Town of Floreat 1994 1,372 29,836 30,116 Restructuring of Perth Canning, City of Cannington 1907 1,534 99,351 99,510 Placed under control of a Commissioner in 2012 Claremont, Town of Claremont 1898 2,364 11,645 11,715 Cockburn, City of Spearwood 1871 745 122,211 125,031 Fremantle RD until 1959 Cottesloe, Town of Cottesloe 1895 2,152 8,246 8,297 East Fremantle, Town of East Fremantle 1897 2,568 8,065 8,060 Fremantle, City of Fremantle 1871 1,748 33,109 33,711 Gosnells, City of Gosnells 1907 1,044 131,381 132,845 Joondalup, City of Joondalup 1998 1,673 165,075 165,512 Restructuring of Wanneroo Kalamunda, City of Kalamunda 1897 189 60,803 61,229 Governed by a Commissioner until 1961 Kwinana, City of Kwinana Town Centre 1954 412 47,658 49,457 Melville, City of BooragoonContact Us – City of Melville 1900 2,031 106,845 107,311 Mosman Park, Town of Mosman Park 1899 2205 9,482 9,585 Split from Peppermint Grove RD. Buckland Hill RD 1899–1908, 1930–1937; Cottesloe Beach RD 1908–1930 Mundaring, Shire of Mundaring 1903 61 40,541 40,506 Greenmount until 1932 Nedlands, City of Nedlands 1893 1,170 22,984 22,977 Claremont RD until 1932 Peppermint Grove, Shire of Peppermint Grove 1895 1,540 1,639 1,644 Perth, City of Perth 1856 2,211 29,667 30,364 Rockingham, City of Rockingham 1897 558 140,595 143,560 Serpentine–Jarrahdale, Shire of Mundijong 1894 39 33,346 34,770 South Perth, City of South Perth 1892 2,277 44,982 45,106 Stirling, City of Stirling 1871 2,252 234,380 235,845 Shire of Perth until 1971 Subiaco, City of Subiaco 1896 3,198 17,914 17,967 Swan, City of Midland 1871 157 158,691 163,699 Victoria Park, Town of Victoria Park 1994 2,153 38,312 38,361 Restructuring of Perth Vincent, City of Leederville 1994 3695 37,865 38,433 Restructuring of Perth Wanneroo, City of Wanneroo 1902 323 216,450 220,932

Non-metropolitan LGAs The 107 non-metropolitan local government areas (LGAs) comprise 7 cities, 99 shires, and 1 town.

The Shire of Christmas Island and the Shire of Cocos (Keeling) Islands are also included for comparison purposes.