Borough of Queenscliffe mayor steps down

THE Borough of Queenscliffe announced a leadership change, as councillor Isabelle Tolhurst resigned from her role as mayor during the council’s April meeting on Wednesday night, citing personal reasons.

Councillor Tolhurst described her resignation as necessary due to the demanding nature of the mayoral role, which she felt she could no longer meet while expecting her second child.

“I have made the difficult decision to resign as Mayor and remain as councillor for the Borough of Queenscliffe for the remainder of the council term, to accommodate the arrival of my second child,” Cr Tolhurst said.

“Resigning from the mayoral position is an acknowledgement that it is a very demanding role, and to fulfill it as the community expects, I would wish to continue working as I have been – being visible, active, responsive, available, and advocating for my community and the borough,” she continued.

Cr Tolhurst also expressed gratitude towards the community, her colleagues, and the council staff.

“Serving as mayor has been one of the great privileges of my life,” she said.

Following Cr Tolhurst’s resignation, councillor Ross Ebbels was elected as the new mayor of the Borough of Queenscliffe for his fourth term.

“I’m honoured to have the support of my fellow councillors in electing me as mayor of the Borough of Queenscliffe,” Cr Ebbels said. “I look forward to working with councillors, officers, and our community, and I thank Cr Tolhurst for her time and dedication in this role, understanding what a difficult decision this was for her to make.”

Additionally, councillor Rob Minty was elected deputy mayor and shared his enthusiasm for working with Mayor Ebbels and the other council members over the final months of this term.

Councillor Tolhurst will continue to serve as a councillor for the remainder of the term.