NORMANVILLE – A tied vote has delayed a decision by the District Council of Yankalilla on the proposed renaming of part of Normanville to Lady Bay.

Initiated by Links Lady Bay Resort managing director Mike Hill, the proposal requires council support to be considered by the Geographical Names Board.

Earlier this year Mr Hill conducted a survey of more than 500 landowners, which he said garnered 90 per cent support for the change for the area south of the Bungala River.

In July a majority of councillors voted to support the name change, but the Geographical Names Board required the council to conduct its own, more extensive, public consultation.

Lat month council wrote to 1,346 Normanville landowners and received 536 responses.

Of these, 218 supported the proposal and 317 were against it, with one undecided.

Three councillors were absent from the October 15 meeting that reconsidered the name change in light of the community consultation.

After a robust discussion the vote was evenly divided between those for it and those against, meaning the proposal will lie on the table until the next council meeting on November 12.

Mr Hill contends that the last time council examined its regional boundaries, in 1999, Lady Bay was overlooked and his proposal will rectify that oversight.

“Ten years ago the council created areas like Hay Flat, Wirrina Cove and Bald Hills, but left out Lady Bay.”

Mr Hill has submitted an amended boundary for his proposed name change, by half a kilometre, to the township limits.

He hopes this would address the concerns of Normanville township residents who oppose the change.

“There is no plan to change the name of Normanville itself,” Mr Hill said.

“I’ve lived in this area for 50 years and it has always been known as Lady Bay. This would just reinstate the name of an historic area that no longer officially exists.”