Cr Schmutter, along with mayor Janelle Archdale and two other sitting councillors will stand down at this year’s election, clearing the decks at council chambers.

Incumbent councillors Maria Woods and Robert Thomson will also stand aside.

The near future for Walcha is critical, but deputy mayor Schmutter said the link forged between council and the community in the Fit For the Future process will hold the small community in good stead.

“The new council will be able to step straight into working for Walcha’s future,” Cr Schmutter told The Leader.

“The community showed leadership right through the process.”

While the shire’s civic leadership will hand the reigns over, Cr Schmutter said himself and mayor Archdale would make themselves available to be of assistance for the new mayoral team.

He said it was a tough decision to walk away, but said he and mayor Archdale were going out on a high.

“The next four years will be as important as the last four,” Cr Schmutter said.

The four-way merger with Armidale Dumaresq, Guyra, Uralla and Walcha was recommended by the delegate, and Cr Schmutter said it could create an interesting dynamic in coming years.

“Walcha and and Uralla will be pitted against the merged council at every checkpoint.

“There’s a lot of work done to make sure we’re keeping up.”

Cr Schmutter said the nominees who came forward for Walcha represented the biggest field in about a decade.

“There’s some young people and young females and councillors that have previously served,” he said.

“Every ward will be contested, which we haven’t seen in at least a decade.

“There’s more awareness about the importance of council and the impact it can have.”

Walcha Shire is divided into four wards, with 13 nominees divvied up across the areas for this year’s election.

The Walcha clean-out will clear the way for a number of new representatives.

The draw for Walcha’s ballot paper was done in Tamworth on Wednesday night.

Rob Blomfield was drawn in the top spot for ward A, followed by Rachael Wellings and Peter Bloomfield.

Sitting councillor Clint Lyon was picked first for ward B, and will be listed before New candidates Barry Spry and Eric Noakes.

Ward C’s paper will be topped by Jennifer Kealey, followed by current councillor Lloyd Levingston and Scott Kermode.

Ward D will have the widest field in the election, with the paper headed by incumbent councillor Kevin Ferrier, followed by Donna Garrad, Bill Heazlett and Steve McCoy. Elections will be held on September 10, pre-polling opens on August 29.