Wakefield Regional Council: History
The Wakefield Regional Council came into being on 1 July 1997, as a result of the amalgamation of the former District Council of Blyth-Snowtown and the District Council of Wakefield Plains.
The amalgamation occurred when much of the boundary reform of the local government was coming from the State Government as a result of various provisions contained in the "Local Government Act 1934". As a result, the number of local councils in South Australia was reduced from 118 to 68 by the deadline of 30 June 1999.
The area falling under Wakefield Regional Council has been much affected by local government boundary changes that have taken place since the early 1980s. Prior to 1983, five district councils had served the area currently covered by the council since the previous major consolidation of local government bodies in 1935. The district councils in the area prior to 1983 were the District Council of Balaklava, the District Council of Blyth, the District Council of Owen, the District Council of Port Wakefield and the District Council of Snowtown.
The wards of the new Wakefield Regional Council completely erased the old ward boundaries. The entirety of the former Blyth and Snowtown councils as well as small parts of the former Balaklava and Port Wakefield councils became the new North ward. Most of the former Port Wakefield and Balaklava councils became the new Central ward. And the approximate area of the former Owen council became the new South ward.