VOTERS in the Surf Coast Shire\u2019s Winchelsea Ward now officially have a new representative, with the swearing-in of James McIntyre.<\/p>\n
Cr McIntyre was formally inducted as a councillor in a ceremony held at the shire\u2019s council chambers on Tuesday morning.<\/p>\n
Cr McIntyre, who recently moved from Moriac to Gherang, replaces Carol McGregor on the council.<\/p>\n
His elevation into the seat at a countback earlier this month came as a surprise, as Winchelsea Ward candidate Adrian Schonfelder was considered the frontrunner as he had the third-highest number of first-preference votes behind the elected Heather Wellington and Carol McGregor.<\/p>\n
Cr McIntyre thanked Ms McGregor for the work she had done as a councillor for the past term and a half.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve got big shoes to fill \u2013 I\u2019m sure my fellow councillors will agree – but I\u2019m looking forward to getting on board and doing my best for the Winchelsea Ward,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m looking forward to the challenge being a councillor brings.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said his message to the people of the ward was that he was approachable and here for them.<\/p>\n
Cr McIntyre went to work almost immediately, with a council briefing beginning only 30 minutes after his swearing-in and a special council meeting on the shire\u2019s submission to the state government\u2019s proposed reforms of the Local Government Bill about two hours later.<\/p>\n
Shire chief executive officer Keith Baillie said Cr McIntyre\u2019s swearing-in was \u201ca bit of a celebration of democracy\u201d.<\/p>\n
A byelection to fill the Anglesea Ward extraordinary vacancy created by Cr Libby Coker\u2019s election to federal parliament will be conducted by mailout in late August.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
VOTERS in the Surf Coast Shire\u2019s Winchelsea Ward now officially have a new representative, with the swearing-in of James McIntyre. Cr McIntyre was formally inducted as a councillor in a ceremony held at the shire\u2019s council chambers on Tuesday morning. Cr McIntyre, who recently moved from Moriac to Gherang, replaces Carol McGregor on the council. […]<\/p>\n