New Surf Coast Shire council comes together

THE winds of change have swept through the Surf Coast Shire council, with new faces winning seven of the nine seats in this year’s council election.

The Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) officially calculated the vote for the Anglesea, Torquay and Winchelsea wards at the VEC electoral office in Torquay on Thursday last week.

Rose Hodge and Heather Wellington are the only incumbent councillors to hold their seats.

In election order, the new Surf Coast Shire council for the next four years is:

• Lorne Ward: Gary Allen (who was the only candidate and won the election uncontested)
• Anglesea Ward: Libby Stapleton, Mike Bodsworth
• Torquay Ward: Kate Gazzard, Liz Pattison, Rose Hodge, Paul Barker
• Winchelsea Ward: Heather Wellington, Adrian Schonfelder.

The shire will hold a special council meeting on Wednesday, November 18 at 6pm, virtually via Zoom, to elect a mayor and deputy mayor and determine the term of their respective offices.

Earlier this week, Cr Wellington publicly declared her intentions to run for mayor.

“I have called for change at the shire for the past few years, but unfortunately my calls largely were met with inaction and resistance from within the council,” she said.

“I am the only councillor re-elected with a quota. I increased my vote for the second successive election, demonstrating wide support for my agenda for major cultural change at the shire. There is a strong message in this vote that the community wants change.

“I have been urged by many people to stand for the position of mayor and, while it has never been my specific ambition, I have decided that it’s the right time to throw my hat in the ring.

“There is a unique opportunity, with a predominantly new team of councillors and the impending recruitment of a new CEO at Surf Coast Shire, to establish a new organisational culture and direction. I am looking forward to working with all councillors to achieve that outcome.

“I want to be part of an open, respectful, inclusive and highly competent council that really engages with the community and tackles, with skill and integrity, the complex issues the shire is facing.”

Cr Wellington said one of the newly-elected councillors had told her they would also run for mayor, but declined to name them.

For full results, including preference flows, head to vec.vic.gov.au/results/2020-council-election-results/surf-coast-shire-council