Bega Valley Shire councillors cast their last vote for mayor

Russell Fitzpatrick was returned as mayor unopposed.

He told the chamber it had been a difficult 18 months for council and was not easy for the community.

"There's a lot of work to do in the next 12 months. I enjoy doing it and working with the Canberra Region Joint Organisation," Cr Fitzpatrick said.

"I'm looking forward to the challenges ahead. You have to be your own person. That's what the community voted for and you have to be able to look your ratepayers and taxpayers in the eye," Cr Fitzpatrick said.

Cr Liz Seckold did not recontest the deputy mayor's position and Crs Cathy Griff and Karen Wright both nominated for the role with Cr Griff taking five of the nine votes, to be elected.

However it was not before an impassioned speech from Cr Wright who said she was told that she was too young and inexperienced to run last time, and was told again this week.

"What does that say to any younger person wanting to stand for council?" Cr Wight said.

But she said that at 30 she didn't consider herself that young and listed her achievements for 2023 which included her work as a JP, bringing up two children, working, speaking at Parliament, sitting on voluntary committees on her own behalf and sitting on council committees as well as attending the councillor workshops and meetings.

"My decisions are balanced, I respect the mayor and I am an independent councillor."

However Cr Wright said she knew she didn't have the numbers and thought Cr Griff would make a good deputy mayor.

Cr Griff said she could bring time and experience to the role and a different perspective with her interests in the arts and the environment.

Cr Griff tackled the question of her politics - she is a member of The Greens - head on.

"There's an idea that politics shouldn't intrude but it does," Cr Griff said.

"I stand very much for the environment. It's a focus shared by the community."

But Cr Griff said she was not anti-development.

This was the last time that Bega Valley Shire councillors get to elect the mayor.

A referendum on December 4, 2021 during the local government elections, was held to gauge the community's view on a popularly elected mayor.

The referendum determined that at the next council election the community would elect the mayor for the subsequent term of council.

IN OTHER NEWS:

Mayors elected by councillors normally hold their office for two years (unless a casual vacancy occurs) and so an election takes place immediately after a local election and then midway through the four-year term.

However the entire term of this council was shortened to two years, nine months because of the postponement of the ordinary council elections from September 2020, to December, 2021, due to COVID and bushfires.

The next local government elections in NSW are scheduled to be held on September 14, 2024.

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