Fired after two years, Ritter remained in Western Australia and spent the subsequent two decades serving as Councillor for East Perth.

He is primarily remembered for saving the Cloisters, playing a role in preventing the construction of an eight-lane freeway on the Swan River foreshore,[1] and the design of Crestwood Estate.

Throughout their life, the couple would combine their talents, shared interests and idealism in an enduring professional partnership which they named 'The Planned Environment and Educreation Research (PEER) Institute'.

[9][10] Retiring in 1965, Green was unable to have his preferred candidate appointed City CEO, and his replacement, G. O. Edwards, was a man whom Ritter felt was inadequate, and who lacked the experience and ability to keep councillors in order and staff loyal and committed.

[6] The Council, then comprising 26 members, was split between supporters and opponents of RItter leading to some contentious special meetings on the issue.

Perth historian Jenny Gregory believes the falling out was due to the state government's (and Carr's) view that the role of the PCC was to fill in the details of the overarching metropolitan scheme.

As a councillor he showed concern for the amenity of East Perth, encouraging improvements to programs of street-sweeping and rubbish-removal, and seeking to involve the community in the decision-making process.

During the late 1970 and early 1980s, Ritter became increasingly focussed on the promotion of a patented concrete moulding method he called “Sculpcrete”.

In promoting his concrete technology overseas, Ritter had sought to obtain reimbursements for expenses under the Commonwealth government export grants program.

[23] The imprisonment and subsequent efforts by the export board and tax office to force repayment of funds led to the bankruptcy of Ritter and his wife.

[7] Between 1954 and 1964, Ritter Press mainly published the journal Orgonomic Functionalism, devoted to the work of Wilhelm Reich, which appeared in 38 issues in 10 volumes.

Paul Ritter was powerfully affected by his experience of the holocaust and spent his life trying to understand humanity and to promote healthy ways of thinking and being.

He created the City's town planning department from scratch, and was responsible for 'a far sighted parking plan' and multilevel structure that took advantage of the central city topography to lay the foundations for a vibrant pedestrian precinct with walkways linking the Northbridge cultural centre via arcades to St Georges Terrace.

Despite substantial differences that resulted in his dismissal shortly afterwards, Ritter convinced the council to reverse an earlier resolution supporting the Government Freeway Plan and instead to oppose it.

[29] Ritter claimed that this challenge to Carr's authority was not lightly forgiven, but in spite of this the two individuals "cooperated on virtually all other issues".

Jane Jacobs's 1961 work The Death and Life of Great American Cities was criticised by many modernist planners and architects of the time, Paul Ritter included.

This merely means that a path system must make meaningful and plentiful connection with the surrounding areas, satisfying 'desire lines' and giving opportunities for creative additions and citizen-participation.

[citation needed] In the Supreme Court Gardens in central Perth, his sculpture "The Ore Obelisk" (1971) symbolises the diversity of mining industry from which Western Australia's wealth is largely derived.