Former Tenterfield deputy mayor Mary Leahy was unsuccessful in her mayoral bid and then opted not to run again for deputy.

Peter Petty was returned as mayor.

Glen Innes mayor Colin Price and deputy Dianne Newman were both returned at their council’s ordinary meeting on Thursday.

Inverell’s mayoral team of Paul Harmon and Anthony Michael have been returned to their roles.

Cr Harmon and Cr Michael ran unopposed for their respective positions of mayor and deputy mayor.

Cr Harmon said he was looking forward to delivering the council’s updated four-year plan.

Cr Harmon also expects IPART’s shire amalgamation decisions to shape his next year as mayor.

“I’m absolutely confident that Inverell Shire Council will be fit for the future,” Cr Harmon said.

Despite not meeting all of the Fit for the Future benchmarks, the council had strategies in place that would allow it to meet the measures in the future, he said.

Cr Harmon said he was keen on working more closely with neighbouring councils.

The mayor listed Glen Innes Severn, Armidale Dumaresq, Tenterfield, Guyra, Walcha and Uralla as councils with similar concerns to Inverell.

Tenterfield mayor Peter Petty said he felt very honoured to be re-elected following an unexpected challenge.

Former deputy mayor Mary Leahy launched a surprise challenge for the top job at the ordinary meeting.

However, she was ultimately bested by the incumbent Cr Petty by six votes to three, with one informal vote. 

Cr Leahy opted not to re-run for the position of deputy, and Carol Schiffmann won the role unopposed.

“Like we saw at a federal level recently, we’ve just got to deal with these things as they come up and get on with the job at hand,” Cr Petty said of the mayoral challenge.

Cr Petty applauded Cr Leahy for her service as deputy and said the council remained strong, with a busy 12 months ahead.

The re-elected mayor is anticipating his shire to be successful in its bid to stand alone, as councils across the state await the state government’s Fit for the Future recommendations.

Cr Petty’s new term as mayor may also see Tenterfield shifted to the federal electorate of Page, with the council expecting an answer early in the new year.

The mayor was also keen to build on the council’s successful work in 2015, citing the main street and Bruxner Park upgrades as some of the best achievements.

Significant road up-grades will continue across the shire, including work on the Mt Lindesay Rd project and upgrading the Bookoo-kookara bridge.

Uralla and Guyra will choose their mayoral teams today.

Walcha, Gwydir and Liverpool Plains will round off the electoral month with their ordinary meetings, scheduled for Wednesday.