A proposal to seek East Kimberley people's reaction to reducing the number of councillors in the Shire divided council at its last meeting.

So much so that Shire President Barbara Johnson had to use her casting vote to break a four to four deadlock.

She, along with councillors Michele Pucci, Bill Barnes and Roch Devenish-Meares voted in favour of seeking the public's opinion on the reduction of the number of councillors from nine to seven.

Councillors Jim Lewis, Ivan Thorley, Clinton Vagg and Keith Wright were against community consultation.

The motion that was passed also contained a move to get the electoral commissioners to allow the by-election, to fill the vacancy left by Steve Sharpe's resignation, put off until the next council elections in May next year.

Councillors Wright, Thorley, Lewis, Johnson and Barnes will face the electors at that ballot.

Councillors Devenish-Meares, Pucci and Vagg will not face the polls until 2005.

In the meantime the vox populi (voice of the people) will be heard.

Reduction in the number of councillors is in line with recommendations from the Local Government Advisory Board.