Paul Amos elected Deputy Mayor of Coffs Harbour City Council

There’s a new face in Council’s leadership team just three months before the community goes to the polls.

Councillor Paul Amos will get a shot at being deputy Mayor for the last three months of the electoral cycle.

Mr Amos was the sole nominee for the position at Thursday’s Coffs Harbour City Council meeting, succeeding current deputy George Cecato.

Deputy Mayors are elected every year and Mr Cecato has served several terms in the position. In 2019 Tegan Swan claimed victory after having her name drawn from a bucket. 

Outgoing Mayor Denise Knight congratulated Mr Cecato on his work over the last year and welcomed Mr Amos to the role.

“I have enjoyed immensely working with councillor Cecato,” Ms Knight said.

It wasn’t long before Mr Amos got his first taste of chairing a council meeting either, with Ms Knight momentarily vacating the hot seat minutes after he was elected.

With the NSW Local Government elections postponed, Mr Amos will fulfill the role for three months until the December poll.

Shortly after the decision, Councillors voted unanimously to name the Cultural and Civic space Yarrila Place after there was overwhelming support from the community for a name originating in Gumbaynggirr language.

Yarrila is a Gumbaynggirr word meaning illuminate, brighten, light up and illustrate.