Frank Carbone’s independents take control of Fairfield City Council, routing Labor

Independent Frank Carbone delivered an unprecedented result in Fairfield after Saturday’s local government elections, with a former Canberra stalwart set to become a local mayor.

More Sydney councils will have a group in control following the weekend elections, with Philip Ruddock’s Liberals to take charge of Hornsby and Fairfield to be dominated by Frank Carbone’s independents.

A former Labor representative, Mr Carbone has wiped the floor with his old party, which is also in trouble in the Sutherland Shire, Liverpool and Canada Bay.

In Fairfield, the ALP suffered a 20 per cent swing, with Mr Carbone’s team picking up much of that.

In the mayor’s race, he won nearly 74 per cent of the vote, smashing Labor’s George Barcha.

Fairfield mayor Frank Carbone at Crescent Plaza in Fairfield. Picture: Eliza Barr

Mr Carbone’s ticket could end up with six seats, plus him as mayor.

His team is aligned with Dai Le’s group of independents, which is set to claim three seats.

Mr Carbone told The Daily Telegraph such a result “has never happened before” in Fairfield.

“I think residents want representatives that will fight for them,” he said. “When Covid hit, Dai and I stood up for them.”

Mr Carbone said there was “no doubt” the result had given him a mandate to deliver more infrastructure.

Rebuilding Fairfield Hospital was vital, he said, as was beautification of the area.

Mr Ruddock — the former Howard government Cabinet Minister — told The Telegraph the Liberals could secure as many as seven spots on council, including himself as the returned mayor.

That would give them a majority, which they did not previously enjoy.

Former Liberal federal minister Philip Ruddock looks set to become mayor of Hornsby. Picture: AAP Image

Mr Ruddock said he had always tried to work collaboratively on council.

“I will still endeavour to do so,” he said.

The other promise he made was that the council would not go “into debt to achieve new outcomes”.

Mr Ruddock is leading the mayor’s contest 57-43 over the Greens’ Emma Heyde.

The extra seats the Liberals expect to pick up would be at the expense of Labor.

The Sutherland Shire may also elect a Liberal majority. It previously had an even number of Labor and Liberal councillors plus one independent. But Labor lost considerable ground on the weekend.

In Canada Bay, Angelo Tsirekas appears to have claimed the mayoralty from Labor, which he represented until earlier this year.

And in the contest for mayor of Liverpool, the Liberals have increased their 2016 vote by 10 per cent, with Ned Mannoun on 43 per cent to Labor’s Nathan Hagarty on nearly 38 per cent.

They are vying to replace Labor’s Wendy Waller, who retired after decades of service.

Independent Clover Moore has been returned as City of Sydney Lord Mayor, although there was a significant swing against her.

There are positives for Labor from the weekend, with the party posting an overall increase in its vote across Sydney, tallyroom.com.au reports.

And, according to the ABC, Labor has picked up extra seats on Lane Cove council.