A disgraced mayor jailed for extorting his lover's ex boyfriend, his successor found guilty of fraud, and a councillor under investigation after appearing on reality TV — the past 12 months in Queensland local government has all the elements of a day-time soap opera.

But it's not just Queensland.

Key points: Experts say elected representatives are essential for democracy

Experts say elected representatives are essential for democracy Referendums to include councils in the Constitution have failed

Referendums to include councils in the Constitution have failed Several states are bringing in new laws and introducing mandatory training to improve councils

Over the past five years, more than 10 councils across Australia have been sacked amid varying allegations of corruption, budget blowouts, infighting and general dysfunction.

Despite the sackings, the work of local government goes on, prompting ratepayers, academics and local business people to ask if councillors are actually needed at all.

The head of the Institute for Public Policy and Governance at University of Technology Sydney, Professor Roberta Ryan works with thousands of council staff across the country.

"You do hear a lot — from senior staff particularly — that it is a much easier place to work without elected councillors, especially in areas which have had difficulties," she said.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 1 minute 52 seconds 1 m 52 s Former Ipswich Mayor convicted

What do ratepayers think?

Ipswich, west of Brisbane, is one of the fastest growing cities in Australia, but roads, rates and rubbish have been left to unelected administrator Greg Chemello for more than a year in the wake of the council's sacking.

Mr Chemello was appointed after two successive mayors stepped down amid charges from Queensland's corruption watchdog, including the once unassailable Paul Pisasale, who will spend his first Christmas behind bars after being jailed for extortion.

"It's very common for the staff and even some of the community to say, 'hey, it's running really effectively [without councillors] why can't we do this forever?'," Mr Chemello said.

Some locals agree.

Ipswich local Kaitlyn Morris says she hasn't been impacted by her council being sacked. ( ABC News: Anna Hartley )

"I've noticed no real big change, we don't need to have them really," Ipswich local Kaitlyn Morris said.

"I haven't really missed having councillors at all."

Under the new regime, construction has finally begun on a revamp of the dilapidated Ipswich CBD, which has been on council's agenda for almost a decade.

"The administrator is doing a good job, he doesn't have to go around a round table and ask questions, he can just get things done," pharmacist Todd Slater said.

"It's probably fast-tracked [the revamp]."

Todd Slater's family has owned the pharmacy in Ipswich CBD for 40 years. He says the administrator has helped "fast track" a revamp of the city centre. ( ABC News: Anna Hartley )

Ipswich café owner Angie Parsons misses her local representatives.

"We had some really good councillors who helped support us," she said.

"Now quite often you have to wait for weeks to get an email response, let alone getting someone on the phone."

Ipswich café owner Angie Parsons says she misses having a councillor to go to directly with questions and problems. ( ABC News: Anna Hartley )

Down the road in the city of Logan, ratepayers are also without elected leaders after eight councillors, including the mayor, were charged with criminal offences earlier this year.

Local governments are not recognised in the Constitution — meaning they fall under the powers of State Parliament.

"Councils can be sacked when they can't carry out their duties, or if we see such gross misdemeanours there's a need to act," Queensland Local Government Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said.

"The instances where we've seen where people have failed community expectations have been very disturbing.

"I know the future of these communities will be better as a result of this intervention."

Over the last few decades Australia has held two referendums to include councils in the Constitution, but both have failed.

Democracy 'still essential'

Former Logan City mayor Luke Smith outside the Crime and Misconduct Commission in Brisbane. ( ABC News )

Professor Ryan said just because councils could run without democratically-elected leaders, didn't mean they should.

"Local government is the level of government closest to the people," she said.

"Councillors are important because they represent and advocate for the interests of their particular areas."

In most of Australia elected councillors choose which one of them will be mayor, while in some parts of the country (including Brisbane), ratepayers elect a mayor separately.

Former Ipswich deputy mayor Paul Tully — who now spends his time writing a book about Jack the Ripper and beekeeping in his backyard — said changing the way mayors were elected could help reduce the risk of corruption.

"Ipswich had one of the most prolific mayors in any local government across Australia [in Paul Pisasale]," he said.

"That direct election can give mayors a dangerous level of control among the staff and CEOs.

"If mayors are elected by councillors, they always have the support of their colleagues."

What's the solution?

Associate Professor Roberta Ryan is director of the Australian Centre of Excellence for Local Government and UTS Centre for Local Government. ( Rose Grant )

Professor Ryan said state governments needed to monitor the relationship between council CEOs and mayors closely.

"If that relationship goes badly, or if the CEO stands up against improper or corrupt behaviour they are threatening their own employment," she said.

"How the legislation frames that relationship is critical to the prevention of corruption."

Mr Chemello — who this week announced he will move from Ipswich to Moreton Bay Regional Council in 2020 — argued having fewer divisions, or wards, could also improve things.

"One reason things have gone astray was Ipswich was very divisionally focused," he said.

"The role of council is to make decisions on behalf of the entire community."

Greg Chemello (right) said Ipswich had been very divisionally focused. ( ABC News: Timothy Swanston )

Legislative reforms have also been proposed by most state governments across the country.

New laws passed in Queensland mean, among other things, anyone running in the 2020 council elections will need to complete training on political donations, spending and conflict of interest.

"You simply can't legislate for people to do the right thing, no matter how you set up anti-corruption, transparency legislation," Professor Ryan said.

"It's about trying to build a culture of respect.

"[Improving local government] is an ongoing task."

Councils sacked since 2014:

Council area State Date dismissed Ipswich QLD August 2018 Logan QLD May 2019 Litchfield NT October 2015 Canning WA September 2014 Coober Pedy SA January 2019 Geelong VIC April 2016 Central Goldfields VIC August 2017 South Gippsland VIC June 2019 Glenorchy TAS October 2017 Huon Valley TAS October 2016 Palmerston NT January 2018

- The ACT has no local government.