Maitland Mayor's Job Still Too Close To Call

BY IAN CROUCH

Nuatali Nelmes has been re-elected Lord Mayor of Newcastle following the local government elections at the weekend.

She polled 42 per cent of the vote, double the result of Independent candidate, Kath Elliot.

Labor claimed Six seats - the Independents 4, while the Greens and the Liberals look set to claim one each.

Elsewhere, the race for the Mayor's job at Maitland is still too close to call, although Labor's Loretta  Baker looks set to become the city's first ever female mayor.

However, the final results will go down to preferences, with just a thousand votes separating Loretta Baker and Philip Penfold.

Meanwhile, Ryan Palmer has been elected mayor of Port Stephens and will take the reigns from Bruce MacKenzie.

Labor's Loretta Baker

Have your say with Port Stephens West Ward candidates tonight

BY JARROD MELMETH and JESSICA ROUSE

Port Stephens West Ward residents are getting the opportunity to raise concerns their council candidates at a public forum tonight at Stockton RSL Bowling Club.

In recent weeks council has been involved in political infighting with councillors filing defamation cases against one another. The forum will give residents the opportunity to ensure they are making an informed choice at the upcoming Local Council elections in September.

Fern Bay Fullerton Cove Progress Association Chair Sally Johnston says the forum kicks off at 7:30pm with at least six West Ward and Mayoral candidates getting around five minutes each to tell the crowd why they're standing and what they hope to achieve in the area should they be elected.

"Previously we've been down the far end of the council area and been somewhat forgotten - that's been changing a bit in the last year but there's a lot of small issues that are relevant for our residents, even simple things like bus stops, being able to cross the road safely, we're hoping though, that residents will get a feel for what candidates are going to best represent their interests," said Sally Johnston.

Residents just want a council willing to work together.

"I think broadly speaking we want a council that is actually going to work together and that's going to listen to the community particularly for Fern Bay and Fullerton Cove," said Sally Johnston.

Here come Maitland's Liberal candidates...

BY IAN CROUCH and JESSICA ROUSE

With local government elections drawing nearer, the Maitland Liberals have settled on their team to contest the upcoming council elections.

The party is promising to get back to the basics of local government - roads, rates and rubbish - with a major focus on improving local roads and fixing traffic snarls.

Among the candidates is East Ward candidate Kanchan Ranadive who will become the first Indian National to stand for Maitland Council. The Central Ward candidate is Sally Halliday, Mitchell Griffin is the North Ward candidate and finally, the West Ward candidate is Ben Mitchell.

Mayoral candidate Bob Geoghegan says their East Ward candidate Kanchan Ranadive is particularly concerned about the recent spate of vandalism at local reserves and traffic congestion on Chisholm Drive.

"We've got a small new team, two women two men and interestingly for the first time that I can recall an Indian born candidate in the local government elections in the Maitland area anyway."

Bob Geoghan says on a whole, the Liberal team want to get back to basics.

"Council always has to focus on the main functions of council which are roads, rates and rubbish with the roads in Maitland there are certainly issues with roads, with regards to rates I think we have to always be very conscious of keeping the cost of living down particularly in this era of high electricity prices."

Hunter councils still face uncertain future

BY JARROD MELMETH

Uncertainty about the proposed council mergers in the Hunter will continue to be drawn out with local council elections possibly being pushed back to 2020 if something isn't done soon.

The office of local government has written to the four hunter councils facing amalgamation, warning them that unless mergers are finalized by August next year, they could be waiting until 2020 for an election.

New councils not created before August 2017, would not be able to hold elections before September 2019 to prevent an overlap with the 2019 state election.

The state opposition is demanding the minister for local government move urgently to determine council mergers in the Hunter to avoid a four-year wait for the next election.

Leader of the Opposition Luke Foley says democracy delayed is democracy denied.

"In Orange, constituents have demonstrated how unpopular forced mergers are. The Government needs to listen - not delay local elections," he said.

Councils that are still subject to merger proposals are being told they need to have an election date set.

The electoral commission or the local government office have not confirmed whether these councils would have elections within their existing boundaries.

Shadow Minister for Local Councils Peter Primrose is accusing the Baird government of making this up as they go along.

"The gun is still being held at the head of local councils and their local communities.

"This is just an ongoing dog's breakfast of a process. People aren't being consulted and now they're being told they may not have elections until September 2020, that is just a crazy thing in terms of local democracy

"Mike Baird can be sure that the communities that have been denied democracy will send a message come 2019," Mr. Primrose said.

A spokesperson for the Minister for Local Government, Paul Toole says "the minister is considering all proposals following the receipt of all the Delegates reports and comments from the Boundaries Commission."

NSW Premier Mike Baird was not available for comment.

Shadow Minister for Local Government
Peter Primrose

NSW Leader of the Opposition
Luke Foley.

Singleton has a New Mayor

BY GARY-JON LYSAGHT

The dust has settled on the Singleton leg of the Local Government Elections, with former Mayor Sue Moore narrowly defeating incumbent John Martin for the top job.

Sue Moore

Moore was Mayor of Singleton from 2008 to 2012, serving as its fist female leader.

She was defeated by Martin at the 2012 election.

Going into the first Council meeting on September 26, Moore will be looking to co-operate with her colleagues, including John Martin, who was re-elected as a Councillor.

"I've been part of that team [the former Council] for the past four years so we'll continue to work with both John Martin and Tony MacNamara who were Mayoral candidates," she said

"We'll, I'm sure, all work together well."

She's also committed Council to remaining civil, and not getting bogged down in party politics.

"Singleton's generally been free of party politics.  All except one candidate stood as an independent," she said.

"I'm sure that we'll all work together, not all with the same ideas, obviously because you wouldn't want [us] all having the same ideas."

"But all appreciating each other's ideas and thoughts and working together as a team is hugely important."

[Image courtesy of Facebook].