The mayor of the City of Maitland is Cr. Philip Penfold,[7] a former Liberal party member turned Independent politician.[8][2]
The deputy mayor of the City of Maitland is Cr. Mike Yarrington, a member of Mayor Penfold's Independent team. The previous Deputy Mayor was Cr. Bill Hackney, who once applied to be a member of the Liberal party,[9] but was elected to Council as part of Mayor Penfold's Independent team.
The current General Manager is Jeff Smith.
History
Before 1944, the Maitland area was governed by three separate municipalities; West Maitland, East Maitland, and Morpeth. In July 1944, these municipalities (along with parts of nearby shires such as Bolwarra, Tarro and Kearsley) were amalgamated to form the Municipality of Maitland.[10][11]
Council Dismissal
In 1997 Maitland City Council was dismissed after a inquiry into governance problems within the council. The Department of Local Government conducted public hearings in Maitland between August and September 1997, with councillors, council staff and members of the public. The inquiry’s findings led the Minister for Local Government to recommend that the offices of the Mayor and all councillors be declared vacant.[12]
Following the dismissal, the Governor appointed an Administrator to run the council’s affairs. The Administrator remained in that role until the next scheduled local government elections in September 1999, effectively placing Maitland under administrative management rather than elected council control for nearly two years.[13]
Walka Water Works is a heritage-listed 19th-century pumping station located in Maitland. Originally built in 1887 to supply water to Newcastle and the lower Hunter Valley, it has since been restored and preserved and is part of Maitland City Council's Walka Recreation and Wildlife Reserve.
In 2022, Maitland City Council partnered with Reflections Holiday Parks and Crown Lands on a plan to transform part of the heritage‑listed site, into a holiday park and tourism destination. This would include caravan sites, eco‑cabins and glamping sites. This plan was deeply controversial, with many residents against the planned development.[16] However, detailed studies of the site revealed asbestos contamination across the site. Maitland City Council chose in early 2024 to reprioritise the funding toward safety and remediation work rather than immediate development. This led Reflections Holidays Parks to withdraw from the project.[17]
Maitland Gaol management
Maitland Gaol is a historic former prison located in East Maitland, New South Wales. Opened in 1848, it operated for over 150 years before closing in 1998. Maitland City Council took over management of the site in 2001, after the prison had closed as a correctional facility in 1998, and the state government sought a new use for the heritage‑listed property.The council operated the site as a tourist attraction, including as a live music venue.[18] In 2024, Maitland City Council pushed forward for site to be redeveloped to become boutique accommodation.[19] However in 2025 Maitland City Council decided to return management of the gaol to the NSW Government, citing the project as financially unsustainable.[20]
Demographics
At the 2011 census, there were 67,478 people in the City of Maitland local government area, of these 48.9 per cent were male and 51.1 per cent were female. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 3.5 per cent of the population, which was higher than the national and state averages of 2.5 per cent. The median age of people in the City of Maitland was 36 years, which was marginally lower than the national median of 37 years. Children aged 0–14 years made up 22.0 per cent of the population and people aged 65 years and over made up 12.7 per cent of the population. Of people in the area aged 15 years and over, 50.9 per cent were married and 11.8 per cent were either divorced or separated.[21]
Population growth in the City of Maitland between the 2001 census and the 2006 census was 15.19 per cent; and in the subsequent five years to the 2011 census, population growth was 9.05 per cent. When compared with total population growth of Australia for the same periods, being 5.78 per cent and 8.32 per cent respectively, population growth in the City of Maitland local government area was significantly higher than the national average.[22][23] The median weekly income for residents within the City of Maitland was approximately equal to the national average.[21]
At the 2011 census, the proportion of residents in the City of Maitland local government area who stated their ancestry as Australian or Anglo-Celtic exceeded 82 per cent of all residents (national average was 65.2 per cent). In excess of 67% of all residents in the City of Maitland nominated a religious affiliation with Christianity at the 2011 census, which was significantly higher than the national average of 50.2 per cent. Meanwhile, as at the census date, compared to the national average, households in the City of Maitland local government area had a significantly lower than average proportion (4.7 per cent) where two or more languages are spoken (national average was 20.4 per cent); and a significantly higher proportion (93.2 per cent) where English only was spoken at home (national average was 76.8 per cent).[21]
Selected historical census data for the City of Maitland local government area
In the lead up to the 2024 Local Government Elections in NSW, the NSW Liberal Party failed to lodge candidate nominations by the official deadline, preventing it from contesting certain wards and the mayoral election. Liberal Councillor and Deputy Mayor Mitchell Griffin re‑nominated as an independent just before the deadline closed. While other preselected Liberal candidates, such as Michael Cooper and Councillor Ben Mitchell, were unable to appear on the ballot. Councillor Sally Halliday was among the few in the state whose nomination was successfully submitted.[24][25]
The result of the election delivered a successful landslide victory for Mayor Penfold and his Independent team, delivering them total control of the council chamber. Mayor Penfold also secured a 21% first-preference swing towards him as well as a two-candidate preferred result of nearly 63%.[26][27]
Following his successful re-election, in 2025 Mayor Penfold attempted to contest the Division of Paterson in that year's federal election. During the election, Mayor Penfold claimed he would serve as Mayor and Federal Member if he won the seat[28]. He was unsuccessful, gaining only 9% of the vote.[29][30]
Current composition and election method
Maitland City Council is composed of thirteen councillors, including the mayor, for a fixed four-year term of office. The mayor is directly elected while the twelve other Councillors are elected proportionally as four separate wards, each electing three councillors. The most recent election was held on 14 September 2024, and the makeup of the council, including the mayor, is as follows.[2][31][32][33][34]
Before the Municipality of Maitland incorporated in 1944, the city was divided into West Maitland, East Maitland and Morpeth, each with its own mayor.[10]
Maitland City Council elects its Deputy Mayor from the sitting councillors rather than through a public vote. Typically, the election occurs at the Council’s annual meeting, which is held each September, the term of office usually lasts for 12 months, although a councillor may be re-elected to the position in subsequent years. A Deputy Mayor can exercise any function of the Mayor at the request of the Mayor. The position isn't required by legislation and is created at the discretion of the council.[40]
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