Nigel Hutton resigns from Livingstone Shire Council after 10 years

A respected Central Queensland councillor has dropped a bombshell, announcing he will resign from his position after serving the community he loves for the past decade.

Nigel Hutton has announced he will resign from his role as councillor with Livingstone Shire Council.

In a shock announcement on Tuesday, Nigel Hutton has revealed he will resign from his role as a Livingstone Shire councillor.

Mr Hutton’s resignation will be effective from March 31, and as it takes effect in the final 12 months of the current electoral term, there will not be a by-election.

Instead, as was confirmed by Livingstone Shire Council on Tuesday, the remaining councillors will appoint a suitable candidate to fill the casual vacancy until the March 2024 Local Government elections.

Mr Hutton was first elected as a councillor in 2014 and has served in a number of councillor portfolios, including as Deputy Mayor from 2018 to 2020.

“A decade ago, the communities of Livingstone gave a young man from Yeppoon, the opportunity of a lifetime; to serve his community on the inaugural Livingstone Shire Council,” Mr Hutton said on his councillor Facebook page.

“I have been incredibly privileged to have served for the people of our communities.

“While times haven’t always been easy, it’s been exhilarating to share in shaping this first decade of the renewed Livingstone.

“From surviving natural disasters, living through a global recession and an unprecedented public health emergency; to sharing in community events, and celebrating the stories of our great citizens and community groups, it’s been incredibly special.”

Livingstone Shire councillor Nigel Hutton.

Mr Hutton said this decision had been one of the hardest of his life, yet it reflected his values that ambition should be tempered with responsibility and that family should always come first.

“For a decade I have balanced teaching, council, lions, pinefest, community and my family,” he said.

“When this community gave me the honour of being the youngest Livingstone councillor ever elected in 2013; I was a young, newly married gentleman, with a passion for our community, and a desire to ensure our voices were heard.

“In the decade that has followed, my family has grown to include two beautiful daughters. They have started life surrounded with the care of our community and have been raised by our village; especially during the period when I served as the youngest Deputy Mayor ever for Livingstone 2018-2020.

“I will always be grateful for the faith our community has repeatedly shown in me as a young bloke who wanted to make a difference.

“And for the guidance and wisdom shared faithfully by community members.

“I am proud to have campaigned for our shire and a brighter future.”

Nigel Hutton.

Mr Hutton said by waiting until the end of March to resign, the community would not need to undertake an expensive by-election.

“To serve for such a period of time, I have asked a lot of sacrifices of my wife, my family, my friends and our community.

“To my darling wife Tanya, my children, my parents, and my siblings. Thank you I couldn’t have served without you. I am eternally grateful for the love, kindness and support provided by friends and supporters to my family as we’ve managed life around the events that have shaped the past decade. Thank you all.”

Mr Hutton said he would return full-time to his “first love” teaching and he would continue to serve alongside his great friends in Lions for the benefit of the community.

“It has been my honour,” he said on Tuesday.

Mayor Andy Ireland thanked Mr Hutton for his significant contribution to the Livingstone community over an extended period.

“Nigel has been a community champion and volunteer for much of his adult life, including over nine years in elected public office,” Mr Ireland said.

“He was an active part of the campaign to restore Livingstone Shire Council’s identity in 2014 and has been a strong force within the Council Chamber since being elected as a councillor at that time.”

Mr Hutton’s shock announcement comes after it was revealed at a December meeting that Livingstone Shire Council’s staff turnover rate was “double what’s ideal.”

CEO Cale Dendle told councillors the organisation’s staff turnover rate was about 18.5 per cent - or if you exclude retirements, about 16 per cent.

It has been an interesting term for Livingstone considering Tanya Lynch resigned as a councillor in March 2021 after serving just 12 months.

She was replaced by Rhodes Watson.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the council said announcements about the process of filling Mr Hutton’s councillor vacancy would be made once councillors had the opportunity to consider things formally at their next meeting.