NSW Local Government elections: Meet your new Tweed Shire Council

The Tweed’s new council has been announced, with six returning councillors and one newbie securing a seat. Here’s the details.

Tweed Shire Council Mayor, Chris Cherry. Picture: Matt Roberts.

There has been little change in Tweed Shire Council with the NSW Local Government elections resulting in six councillors retaining seats and just one new member joining the ranks.

It comes as the council’s mayoral and deputy mayoral vote looms.

The roles are set to be determined by sitting councillors in an extraordinary meeting, rather than a popularly elected vote as is the case in some NSW electorates.

That meeting will be held on October 10 and is due to be livestreamed to the public.

Close to 50 council candidates battled for seats before the Tweed voted on September 14.

Seeing out another term in the council will be current Mayor Chris Cherry, current Deputy Mayor Meredith Dennis, Labor councillor Reece Byrnes, Liberal councillors James Owen and Rhiannon Brinsmead and Greens councillor Nola Firth.

Tweed Shire councillor James Owen dominated at the polling booths. Picture: Supplied

Former Nationals candidate for Richmond Kimberly Hone secured her first term in council, running as an independent this year. She notched up 5706 votes on election day.

Ms Hone, who has been a vocal advocate of reopening Wollumbin/Mount Warning to the public, said ahead of election the Tweed had become “stagnant and stale”.

“ … we need to keep moving forward on the projects that create infrastructure to help the elderly and younger families flourish in one of the most best regions in the entire state,” she told NewsLocal in September.

Her candidate group, including long-term councillor Warren Polglase, earned 5478 votes.

Mr Owen dominated at the polling booths, securing an astonishing 14,177 votes. Time will tell if his popularity with the public holds up with councillors during the mayoral vote.

Ms Cherry notched up 7487 votes, with Mr Byrnes trailed closely behind on 7100 votes.

A total of 54,589 ballots were cast in the Tweed, representing a voter turnout of 76 per cent, with 71,582 local voters registered ahead of the poll.

New councillor Kimberly Hone. Picture: Supplied.

The council’s general manager Troy Green acknowledged the efforts of all candidates and expressed enthusiasm for the term ahead.

“On behalf of council staff, I extend my congratulations to all those elected and welcome our newest councillor,” he said.

“We are eager to work collaboratively with the new team as we navigate the opportunities and challenges of the coming term.

“We have more than $1 billion in capital infrastructure works planned over the next five years, including the raising of the Clarrie Hall Dam wall, major housing and retail developments in the pipeline, and continuing our significant flood recovery works program.”

The new council will undertake their oaths, along with the mayoral and deputy mayoral vote, in Murwillumbah Council Chambers, from 3.30pm on October 10.

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