Picture: BROOKE LITTLEWOOD
THE region’s newly-elected mayor and council are officially on the job.
A swearing in ceremony was held at the Millicent Gallery on Tuesday night to mark a new chapter in Wattle Range Council’s history.
Justice of the Peace Elaine Wilson-Bennett witnessed mayor Des Noll and the council elects from each ward officially sign the pledge to start their four-year term.
A number of fresh faces will make up the new look council, including Deb Agnew for Sorby Adams, Rick Paltridge for Riddoch and Moira Neagle and Graham Slarks for Corcoron.
Meanwhile, councillors Peter Dunnicliff, Sharon Cox, Dean Burrow, Kevin McGrath, Glenn Brown, John Drew and Dale Price were voted back in.
Following the formalities, Mayor Noll addressed those attending and highlighted the importance of working together as a Wattle Range “family”.
“We are all in this together,” he said.
“Whether you are out in the garden or on the truck, whether you are the chief executive officer, the mayor or a councillor everyone has a really family involvement and that is really important.
“That is our direction forward as a family committed together in serving our wonderful community.”
“It is a new era and a new direction in our community.
“We have got the responsibility serving at the highest level in our community, what a great community that we live and work in and we are going to build on what has been left with us to move forward with and that’s pretty solid, it is a pretty solid foundation.
“Over the last few years a number of terms of local government some really positive things have happened in our community and we have the privilege now to build on that, so I am pretty excited about that.
“We have some experienced councillors who have been in term, which is really fantastic.
“There is real mix with some newly elected people who are going to learn, develop and be a real asset to our community.
“I welcome everybody on board and welcome to the Wattle Range family.
“We look forward to working with everybody in the future.”
The Wattle Range Council’s first meeting will be held next Tuesday at the council chambers.
