The results of the 2021 local government elections are in for Hilltops, Snowy Valleys and Cootamundra Gundagai, with the top jobs to be decided in the new year. Photo: Supplied.
A new chapter for the shires of the South West Slopes as a swathe of new councillors – and a few not so new – find their seats at the table of local council chambers.
The Hilltops community will know who occupies the big seats on 5 January with their first order of business the election of mayor and deputy mayors.
The choice will be contentious with Margaret Roles, Matt Stadtmiller and former mayors Brian Ingram and John Hewson all with eyes on the big prize.
The 11-strong team includes former councillors Tony Flanery, Greg Armstrong and new faces Alison Foreman, John Piper, Joanne Mackay, Mary Dodd and Patrick Fitzgerald.
Media commentator Neil Langford said it was obvious from the numbers the community was very disappointed with the former council, but he expressed concerns the new members would make a discernable difference going forward.
And it’s a January diary date for the fresh-faced Cootamundra Gundagai Regional Council who will meet for the first time on 10 January.
The final election results have seen Charlie Sheahan, Gil Kelly, Lesley Boyd, Abb McAlister, Penny Nicholson, Leigh Bowden, Logan Collins, Trevor Glover and David Graham elected to the council.
Former mayor Abb McAlister said he wasn’t optimistic he’d get the nod for the top job from his fellow councillors, but he said he was thrilled to again be elected to represent the concerns and issues of the shire as it entered a new era.
Snowy Valleys Council’s nine newly-elected councillors will officially gather for the first time in early January to be sworn in for their three-year term.
The councillors-elect are Johanna (Hansie) Armour, Ian Chaffey, Julia Ham, James Hayes, Sam Hughes, Michael Ivill, John Larter, Brent Livermore and Trina Thomson
Snowy Valleys CEO Matthew Hyde congratulated the group on being elected to council and said he looked forward to working with them over the coming term.
“We will all hit the ground running in 2022 as we have a compressed timeline to implement the legislative requirements around the Integrated Planning and Reporting cycle,” he said.
“It will be important to ensure the greatest opportunity possible to engage with the community to help inform the process and the end decision in June 2022.
“On behalf of the whole organisation, I sincerely congratulate each councillor for their election to council and would like to commend them on making this significant commitment to serving their community,” said Mr Hyde.
The mayor and deputy mayor roles will be elected by the councillors at the extraordinary meeting which will be live streamed and starts at 2pm.
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