Wingecarribee Shire Council is one of the only councils in NSW with no female councillors.
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Twelve months out from the 2020 elections, a new council survey will gauge the reasons why there aren't more women in elected positions.
Women make up 52.2 per cent of the shire, while men make up 47.8 per cent of the area, according to the latest Bureau of Statistics Census data.
However there are no women making key decisions in a councillor role.
There is better female representation at nearby councils. Goulburn Mulwaree Council has three female councillors, while Wollondilly Shire Council has one woman in an elected role.
Meanwhile Shellharbour Council has three female councillors, including mayor Marianne Saliba.
A council spokesman said council intended to survey the community to gauge the obstacles women may face when running for council.
"Council will host a series of information sessions for prospective candidates in the lead up to the 2020 elections," the spokesman said.
"These information sessions will explore issues including the roles and responsibilities of councillors.
"In addition to these information sessions, council intends on undertaking a community survey later this year to look at potential issues that may present an obstacle for potential candidates, both men and women, in running for council."
Council will investigate several options that may encourage more candidates to nominate for council in 2020.
A Wingecarribee Shire Council spokesman said preliminary discussions had included having previous councillors talk of their experiences.
"Issues that council we'll discuss in this survey will include the responsibilities, roles, obligations and workload of councillors, perception, pay and meeting time of council meetings to name but a few," the spokesman said.
What do some Wingecarribee Shire councillors think?
Councillor Gordon Markwart spoke about the lack of female representation at last year's Local Government Conference.
Cr Markwart said council needed new blood to reflect the diversity of the shire.
"The Wednesday meeting precludes most people with jobs or those looking after children. It's not an attractive proposition to some young families," he said.
"To break the cycle we need to change something. We have people who have been there for too long. I'm not talking about gender diversity, they have an old view.
"We need a working person, someone paying a mortgage or someone with kids."
Councillor Ken Halstead said he would like to see women represented on council.
"I don't get why people don't want to put their name forward. We want women on this council," Cr Halstead said.
"They've got far more compassion than men. They've been there, done that."
Cr Halstead said he would also like to see more councillors in the 30 to 40-year-old age bracket.'
How does Wingecarribee Shire Council compare to other NSW councils?
The visual below shows how many female councillors are currently elected on councils across NSW. The list does not include councils under administration. Scroll down to see how Wingecarribee Shire Council compares with other councils. Note: This may take a few seconds to load.
Gender diversity on councils across Australia
Australian Local Government Women's Association (ALGWA) former national president Cr Coral Ross said NSW had fallen behind the rest of Australia in terms of female representation.
"NSW is now the only state below 30 per cent female representation with 29.5 per cent," Cr Ross said.
"Personally, I look forward to the first state breaking 40 per cent, but it is vital our largest state NSW overcomes 30 per cent so we can continue on our goal of equal representation in local government to better serve our communities."
Meanwhile more women are representing their communities in other states.
Tasmania has overtaken Victoria with the highest percentage of women councillors elected at a general municipal election with 39.9 per cent.
Victoria is second with 38.1 per cent, followed by WA with 36.21 per cent and following elections,
South Australia moves from last to fourth spot with 35.4 per cent.
The NT is now fifth on 33 per cent followed by QLD on 32.5 per cent.
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A council spokesman encouraged all members of the community, both male and female, to get involved in local decision-making.
"Learn about current issues affecting our shire, read council business papers and attend or view council meetings," the spokesman said.
"When prospective nominees run for council, compare their election platforms against the issues you believe require the greatest attention."
Anyone can nominate for a position on council when candidate nominations open in 2020.
Nominees should be at least 18 years of age and an Australian citizen, live or own property in the council area, be on the electoral role and not be a person previously disqualified from standing for office.
Council's general manager Ann Prendergast declined a request for comment.
Australian Local Government Women's Association national president Marianne Saliba and national secretary Flora Lepouras did not respond to requests for comment.
