The Newcastle Herald reported late last year that council chief executive officer Jeremy Bath had derided the word “council” as a “seventies term” and viewed the organisation’s impending move to Newcastle West as an opportunity to leave it behind.

“I’m far more comfortable in telling people that I’m the CEO of the City of Newcastle rather than I’m the CEO of Newcastle City Council,” Mr Bath said at the time.

A staff report to councillors on Tuesday recommends the council’s “public-facing brand and trading name” change to “City of Newcastle” in the interests of consistency, although its legal name will remain “Newcastle City Council”, or “The Council of the City of Newcastle”.

“Council has previously used the branding and trading name The City of Newcastle (TCoN), with this name remaining active and used consistently by staff and stakeholders,” the report says. 

“This report seeks the removal of ‘The’ from the title for branding and trading purposes.

“Using ‘City of Newcastle’ as the public-facing brand and trading name without ‘The’ is consistent with other councils including: City of Adelaide, City of Melbourne, City of Sydney, City of Gold Coast and City of Greater Geelong.”

Mr Bath’s view last year that the word “council” was “tired and outdated” and “stands for a level of bureaucracy and red tape that we’re very much committed to getting away from” is reflected in the report to the council.

“The title ‘City of Newcastle’ as opposed to Newcastle City Council better reflects the organisation’s values and vision as well as Newcastle’s transition to a global city,” the report says.

“ … This Strategy aligns with the Newcastle 2030 Community Strategic Plan's priority of Leadership, Engaged Citizens, Inclusion, Diversity and Community Spirit.” 

The council’s logo refers to “The City of Newcastle”. That name is written above the revolving entrance door to the City Administration Centre in King Street after changing from “Newcastle City Council” about five years ago.     

The report says the cost of changing branding in council documentation and digital channels will be absorbed within existing budgets.

The move completely reverses a decision from 2015, when the council’s executive management team resolved that the organisation be referred to in all instances as Newcastle City Council and “cease use of the term ‘The City of Newcastle’ in reference to the organisation”.

This week’s report identifies an “ongoing issue of the organisation being referred to as various names including: (i) Newcastle City Council; (ii) The City of Newcastle; (iii) City of Newcastle; (iv) the Council of the City of Newcastle; and (v) the City of Newcastle Council”.

With the spectre of forced amalgamations hanging over its head in 2016, the council rejected a resolution to rename the local government area “City of Hunter Coast”.

Newcastle City Council’s former titles

Newcastle District Council (1843-1858)

The Municipality of Newcastle (1859-1867)

The Borough of Newcastle (1867-1938)

The City of Greater Newcastle (1938-1949)

City of Newcastle (1949-1993)

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