Rose Hodge re-elected as Surf Coast Shire mayor

A MAJORITY of Surf Coast Shire councillors voted to re-elect Rose Hodge as mayor for her second consecutive term in a special council meeting last night.

Cr Clive Goldsworthy was similarly re-elected as deputy mayor.

Cr Hodge thanked her fellow councillors and council staff for their support.

“I would like to thank my fellow Surf Coast Shire councillors, staff and, in particular, the community across all parts of our wonderful shire.

“I am humbled and honoured to serve the community in such a beautiful part of the world and proud of the leadership Surf Coast Shire has shown across many issues.”

Cr Hodge said she was pleased with what the council has been doing to fulfill their ambitions of creating an “engaged, innovative and sustainable” community, but also emphasised that there was more for them to do going forward.

Cr Hodge was first elected as a representative for the Torquay Ward in 2004 and has been in office since then.

She has had multiple stints as Surf Coast Shire mayor – in 2006-07, 2012-13 and 2015-16.

Cr Goldsworthy, elected as deputy mayor from the Lorne Ward, has been in office since 2012.

He said he was confident that the shire was moving forwards.

“I am proud of what we have achieved as a Council over the past 12 months. It has been very much a team effort, and we look forward to working hard for our community during the remainder of our term.”

Cr Goldsworthy previously served as deputy mayor to Cr Hodge in 2015-16.

The motion to re-elect Cr Hodge as mayor was supported by six of the seven present councillors – the exception was Winchelsea Ward’s Heather Wellington, who voted against. Councillors David Bell and Brian McKiterick were absent.

Cr Goldsworthy’s re-election as deputy mayor was unanimously carried.