A sign between the old Harden Shire and Cootamundra Shire boundaries.
From Hilltops Council…..
The first ever Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Hilltops Council will be decided at a meeting next week, during what will be the inaugural official gathering of the eleven Councillors elected following the recent local government election.
Council General Manager Anthony McMahon said the Extraordinary Meeting of Council will take place on Wednesday 20 September 2017, commencing at 5:30pm, at the Hilltops Council’s Young Chambers.
Mr McMahon said that although the final results of the election are yet to be announced by the NSW Electoral Commission, it was important to announce a date for the meeting as soon as possible, to ensure all prospective attendees are aware well in advance.
“The latest information I have been provided by the NSW Electoral Commission is that we can expect to know the results of preference distributions late Friday, which will be well ahead of Wednesday’s scheduled meeting,” Mr McMahon said.
“By announcing the date now, it gives everyone plenty of time to make appropriate arrangements, should they need to be there depending on the outcome of the Electoral Commission’s announcement.
“I as General Manager will initially chair the meeting, with the first item of business requiring the newly elected Councillors to take an oath or affirmation. The next item will be the election of the Mayor, who will then chair the remainder of the meeting.
“Once elected, the Mayor holds office for two years which is a change from previous arrangements, while the Deputy Mayor may be elected for the same term or a shorter period, if in fact Council elect to have a Deputy Mayor, which is not compulsory.
“We will also have a ‘Welcome to Country’ at the start of the meeting by representatives from our local Aboriginal community,” he said.
Mr McMahon explained the period of Administration ends immediately before the first Hilltops Council meeting after the election.
“At the commencement of the first meeting the Administration period formally ends and that is the time when the newly elected representatives officially become the governing body of Council,” Mr McMahon said.
Mr McMahon explained that in addition to electing the Mayor and Deputy Mayor, Councillors will also set their ‘Ordinary Meeting’ schedule for the year at next Wednesday’s meeting.
“This first meeting of the Hilltops Council is certainly a historic moment, one that marks the start of a new and exciting phase for our region, as we continue to build on our strengths and capitalise on the possibilities the future presents, in order to provide the services, infrastructure, facilities and opportunities our residents deserve,” Mr McMahon said.
“I’d like to congratulate all the candidates that stood for election, which in itself demonstrates a strong level of community engagement. Along with the rest of the community, Council staff are now looking forward to getting the results of the count and working with the elected Councillors.
“There’s a lot of exciting projects underway that the new Council will have the opportunity to take carriage of and work with the community to deliver, and I encourage residents to take an active and constructive role in helping inform Council’s future priorities,” he said.
The Extraordinary Meeting of the Hilltops Council will be held at the Hilltops Council Chambers in Young on Wednesday 20 September 2017 at 5.30pm. Members of the public are welcome to attend…….
