THE TWEED has seven new Councillors with the mission of working together over the next four years.
Ron Cooper came from behind with preferences from Gary Bagnall helping to nudge him into the seventh spot.
It was a tightly contested race for council this election with many candidates separated by only a few hundred votes each.
The question remains as to who will fill the mayoralty position.
The first Tweed Shire Council meeting is set to take place next week, with many tests for our new comers.
The results of the election for seven councillors for Tweed Shire for 2016-2020 were announced this afternoon, following the local government election on 27 September 2016.
Counting of the votes resulted in the election of (in sequence of election):
1. Katie Milne
2. Warren Polglase
3. Pryce Allsop
4. James Owen
5. Reece Byrnes
6. Chris Cherry
7. Ron Cooper
Candidates have 24 hours to request a recount and the poll will be officially confirmed tomorrow afternoon (Friday 4 November).
Like the majority of NSW councils, Tweed Shire Council opted to have the Electoral Commission NSW conduct the election in their local government area.
In an afternoon press release Tweed Shire Council said at this stage, an Extraordinary Meeting of Council is planned for Thursday, November 17 at 5pm at the Council Chambers at the Murwillumbah Civic Centre in Tumbulgum Road.
At this meeting, the Councillors will elect the Mayor for the next two years (a change from the previous 12 month term) and determine dates and times of future Council meetings.
Council’s General Manager, Troy Green, congratulated the new Councillors.
“I look forward to this term of Council and working with the newly-elected Councillors to achieve the aspirations of the Tweed community,” Mr Green said.
“I’d like to acknowledge the commitment and dedication of the outgoing Councillors, who committed many hours advocating for the people of Tweed Shire: Gary Bagnall, Carolyn Byrne, Barry Longland and Phil Youngblutt (retired).
For more information on the election result, visit the Electoral Commission NSW’s Tweed website via the links on www.tweed.nsw.gov.au/elections
Contact details for the new Councillors will be published on Council’s website www.tweed.nsw.gov.au as soon as they are available.
At the last count at 10.15am this morning, the votes in the constitutional referendum were showing 33.3 per cent in favour of a change to nine councillors and 63.4 per cent against with 3.3 per cent informal.