Lismore, meet your new deputy

SIMON Clough has been named as Lismore's new deputy mayor in narrow vote at the council's first meeting.

Simon Clough has been elected Lismore's new deputy mayor.

NEWLY elected Lismore City councillors have elected Simon Clough to the Deputy Mayor role, defeating mayoral runner up Neil Marks and second term councillor Gianpiero Battista.

The new council met for the first time in an extraordinary meeting last night to elect the deputy and representatives to other positions including Rous Water.

The position was decided for the next 12 months via open voting, with Cr Clough receiving six votes. His closest competitor, Cr Marks, received three votes, while Cr Battista gained two votes.

Previous deputy, Isaac Smith, opted not to stand for relection, throwing his vote behind Cr Clough.

Cr Clough said it was time to stand up to the State Government on three recent issues which have overpowered council decisions - the Champion's Quarry expansion approval, the recent overturning of environmental zones, and coal seam gas.

"We do need to make it very clear that those sort of decisions need to be made locally, and I'm going to be standing up for that," he said.

Cr Clough said he would be a deputy mayor 'for the whole community' and support Cr Dowell in her position. \

All four Country Labour councillors - Cr Dowell, Cr Smith, Glenys Ritchie, and Ray Houston - along with Greens councillor Vanessa Ekins, backed Cr Clough for the job.

Deputy runner up Neil Marks, who also came second in the mayoral race, said he was 'somebody who was willing to work with this community' and 'close the gaps' which existed in the council.

Originally published as Lismore, meet your new deputy