John Coulton received the winning vote in this year's Gwydir Shire elections. Photo: Fairfax
MAYOR of the Gwydir Shire Council, John Coulton, has been returned for another four-year term after a ballot was held yesterday during the council’s first meeting since elections.
His deputy Catherine Egan was also returned.
Cr Coulton, Geoff Smith and Peter Pankhurst were the first three councillors elected to the new Gwydir Shire Council following the elections on Saturday, September 8.
The remaining six positions were filled by Mrs Egan, Kerry McDonald, Angela Doering, Marilyn Dixon, David Rose and Stuart Dick.
Cr Coulton received 903 first preference votes after all the election day, pre-poll and postal votes were counted.
Cr Smith received 325 votes and Cr Pankhurst received 313 first preference votes.
The three men were the first and only candidates to receive the quota – 303 votes – required to be elected to council through first preference votes.
In this term of council, which runs until 2016, there are five councillors from the north of the Shire and four from the south.
