The role of Council is to:

• Direct and control the local government's affairs;
• Be responsible for the performance of the local government's functions;
• Oversee allocation of the local government's finances and resources; and
• Determine the local government's policies.

Local Government 

Western Australia is divided into districts, each of which has their own local government.  Each one is grouped into a category - Shire, Town or City.

The Governor of WA, on the recommendation of the Minister, makes the order declaring which category a local government is and each category is defined by the Local Government Act 1995.

Shires are generally rural areas with small populations.

Town's generally cover small, mainly urban population centres. A district can only be designated a town if more than half of its inhabitants live in an urban area.

Cities cover larger urban population centres.  A metro area of more than 30,000 people with more than half living in an urban area or a rural district of more than half living in an urban area.

The City of Kwinana officially became a City on 17 September 2012.

Further information on your local council can be viewed through links to the left.