Sarah Hayden appointed as Golden Plains for 12-month term

The Golden Plains Shire has become the second council in the region to appoint a mayor, with a first-term councillor comfortably defeating a more experienced opponent.

Sarah Hayden has been elected Golden Plains mayor. Picture: Supplied.

It’s out with the old and in with the new at Golden Plains Shire, with first-term councillor Sarah Hayden winning a two-way battle for mayor.

In the first meeting of the seven-member group on Tuesday evening, Ms Hayden defeated Brett Cunningham five votes to two.

Mr Cunningham, mayor for the past two years, received only the support of Helena Kirby, while Ms Hayden was supported by Lachlan Glen, Des Phelan, Emma Robbins and Owen Sharkey.

Ms Hayden, whose five children include actor Chloe, will serve an initial 12-month term, for which she will receive an annual allowance of $109,114.

The council group opted against appointing a deputy mayor.

“We have a big responsibility ahead of us and our community expects strong and effective representation, and we can’t lose sight of that,” Ms Hayden said.

“I am committed to fostering a spirit of openness and accountability, ensuring that we remain a council of the people and for the people.”

Ms Hayden received 14.8 per cent of the primary vote in a field of 10 Golden Plains council candidates, trailing only 35-year-old NDIS plan manager Lachlan Glen, who received 18.9 per cent.

Ms Hayden, a social worker who has authored a parenting book, becomes the second mayor elected in the region, following Mike Bodsworth in the Surf Coast Shire.

The 11-member City of Greater Geelong and the five-member Borough of Queenscliffe will elect their mayors next week.

Senior Geelong council figures Anthony Aitken and Eddy Kontelj have ruled themselves out of contention, with Trent Sullivan favourite to again take the top job.

Earlier: New Surf Coast mayor says ‘strong council culture’ a key focus

The Surf Coast Shire has elected a mayor and deputy mayor in the first meeting of its new nine-member council.

Mike Bodsworth has been elevated from deputy mayor to mayor after the Anglesea-based, Otway Range councillor defeated Paul Barker six votes to three on Thursday evening.

Mr Bodsworth, a landscape architect and a councillor since 2020, was supported by his Otway Range colleagues Libby Stapleton and Leon Walker, as well as former mayor Liz Pattison, Tony Phelps and Adrian Schonfelder.

Mr Barker, who received the support of Rebecca Bourke and Joel Grist, also had his name put forward for deputy mayor.

He again failed to have the numbers as Ms Stapleton, who served as mayor in 2020 and 2021, was elected with five votes.

Mr Barker received three votes, while Mr Schonfelder garnered one vote – from himself.

Both terms are for 12 months.

Mr Bodsworth, 54, served as deputy mayor to Ms Pattison for the past two years.

He will receive an annual allowance of $109,114, as determined by the Victorian Independent Remuneration Tribunal.

Ms Stapleton gets $54,558, while remaining councillors each receive $34,028.

“My priority as mayor, firstly, will be to help us all work together to build a strong council culture,” Mr Bodsworth said.

“If things get tough, if we find there’s difficult contention on the council … there are two things I hope we can return to.

“One is the dedication to the places and people of the Surf Coast, to our communities.

“The other is returning to a focus and commitment to the business of council, to being a high-performing council and overseeing a high-performing organisation.”

Surf Coast Shire’s new deputy mayor Libby Stapleton and mayor Mike Bodsworth. Picture: Brad Fleet.

Ms Stapleton, 56, emphasised the importance of maintaining effective relationships.

“For us as councillors, it’s our relationship with each other, with our communities, with council officers, and with representatives of the various agencies and organisations that council works with across the region,” she said.

“This will be pivotal to our success.”

Mr Barker, an executive member of the Libertarian Party who launched a “back to basics” ticket that included Ms Bourke and Mr Grist, said was disappointed with the result.

“The vote shows that while voters voted for change (at the council election), the status quo remains,” he said.

“While the leadership of council might not look like change, I will be advocating for the change that voters indicated.”

Originally published as Sarah Hayden appointed as Golden Plains for 12-month term