This year’s election will be keenly fought in the region’s smaller towns and villages, with a recurring theme of community engagement played out by the candidates.
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Tamworth Regional Council’s candidates came face to face with the voters on Monday night, putting their wishes up against the community’s needs at the first candidate forum.
The theme was pinned to the election narrative early on with residents from Manilla and Nundle staking claims for council seats and declaring the villages are missing out.
Manilla’s former mayor Jim Maxwell is running on a platform of better representation on council for the small towns of the region, while Nundle’s Andrew Brown said he’s “grown discontented” with the seeming “city-centric” drive of Tamworth’s council.
Current councillor, Phil Betts, admitted on the night TRC had fallen over in recent years in community engagement.
Once mayor of the former Parry Shire, Cr Betts said more 355 committees could help councils of the future better engage with the villages.
Water security was listed a top priority for a number of candidates, including former councillor Ray Tait, mayor Col Murray and Cr Betts.
Environmental concerns were a key topic, with prospective councillors also asked whether they would follow the lead of their neighbours in Uralla who are actively trying to “combat climate change”.
Cr Murray said there was “strong appetite for it”, and it should be higher on the agenda.
The Liberal Party-endorsed trio of Noel O’Brien, Mitchel Hanlon and Gerry Griffiths were of particular interest to the voters on hand, with one asking if their council run was a part of a future political agenda.
Former Gunnedah mayor and Labor Party member Noel O’Brien said if he had any future aspiration he would’ve taken the opportunities years ago, Gerry Griffiths also said there was no future plans guiding his 2016 council run.
The Liberals number two candidate, Mitchel Hanlon, was not the only 2016 candidate not present at the forum.
First-time candidate Warwick Lindsay from Manilla sounded off in his opening address to the residents, saying he was opposed to party politics on council as it would be a “backwards step”.
Resident Adele Mazoudier noted the older demographic in attendance, and nominations, and quizzed the youngest candidate Charles Impey, 45, about getting younger people engaged with the processes of local government.
Mr Impey, a school’s career adviser, said there needed to be a “conduit to younger people’s ideas through”.
Each candidate was the opportunity to offer a closing address to the 60-plus in attendance at the forum.
First-time candidate Charles Impey emphasised the energy he was ready to bring to the role.
"I have 45 years experience being a part of a community," he said.
"And I'm motivated, I'm passionate and I have stacks of energy."
Deputy mayor Russell Webb asked the community to remember his years of experience and service.
"All I can promise is that I will give as I have given for the last four years," Cr Webb said.
Westdale man Chris Achurch said his experience in the police force and as a father of four could serve him well as a councillor.
"I worked a lot of country towns, I was the go to person whenever there was a problem," he said.
"If I'm elected I will support every person in this region."
Long-time councillor Phil Betts said it was fully up to the community to decide whether he deserved another run with council.
"I'm not the one to judge that, the community is," Cr Betts said.
"I can give 100 per cent of my time [to council], I've now retired from the RTA."
Fellow councillor Juanita Wilson said he wanted to be a part of shaping the community.
"Because I know into the future, it's going to shape us and our children. I'm really keen to be a part of that," she said.
Tamworth Regional Residents and Ratepayers Association vice-president David McKinnon agreed with Cr Wilson's sentiment and said his experience in local business would help his run to council.
"Good governance is critical with council, particularly as a service agent," Mr McKinnon said.
The longest-serving current councillor Warren Woodley said there still projects in the works he wanted to see come to fruition.
"The council we have now is a very good council and I've served with many councils and under many mayors," he said.
Cr Woodley also said he was prepared to make hard calls if he reelected.
Mayor Col Murray used the opportunity to thank the community for the opportunity to serve on council for 12 years.
"I love living in Tamworth and I love doing what i do and I just give you my guarantee I'll work just as hard in the future as I have done in the past," he said.
"And I look forward to getting some support from you hopefully on the 10th of September."
Manilla candidate Warwick Lindsay iterated the need for better representation in the region's north.
"Jim [Maxwell] and I will tell you, we're residents of Manilla," Mr Lindsay said.
"How do you like six years for one woman to get a branch cut off a tree?
"There is a house that's half burnt down in Manila and you've got raw asbestos all over the place."
First-term councillor Mark Rodda said he got a kick out of delivering the simple things for council.
"Fixing the footpaths, or a street light in a park to cut down anti social behaviour," he said.
"Things like that are important to me and I know they sound boring, they're not sexy, but I think that they're what a council are there to do."
Former councillor Ray Tait channeled JFK in his address.
"[There were] a couple of things JFK used to say, and I try to live my life this way," Mr Tait said.
"A man must say and do what he feels to be right, lest he can't call himslef a man.
"And saying that, that's what I believe about council.”
Current councillor Helen Tickle said her campaign for council was based on "acheiving for the community".
"I'll work hard as I have done in the past," Cr Tickle said.
"I have experience with small towns and metropolitan areas. I understand the regions and in particular Tamworth."
Nundle candidate Andrew Brown disagreed with earlier statements that council was ‘like a business’.
"If we're a business, you're the owners and the customer, I don't know any businesses like that," he said.
"I just want to remind council, we're here for people, not to make money."
Manilla's Jim Maxwell said his motives were the same now as they were almost 30 years ago.
"When I was first elected to council in 1987, I was asked a question 'why are you standing for council?' My answer is the same today as it was then," Mr Maxwell said.
"I would love to be able to contribute something back to this region which have given to my family over four generations."
Councillor James Treloar said public security was going to be a key issue going forward.
"In the next four years, I would be delighted to continue the roll out of CCTV cameras so people can feel safe and secure no matter where they are," he said.
Running-mate Glenn Inglis said he wanted to make the community proud of their council.
"I've always placed an extremely high premium on ethical behaviour, that will continue.
all my actions and decisions will be at all motivated to ensure that community has a growing confidence in council," he said.
Liberal party candidate Gerry Griffiths said he'd like to see "council get on the front foot with opportunities", while fellow Liberal Noel O'Brien said "sustainable development" and water security were priorities.
"There's no use building bigger dams, there should be smarter use of what we have got," Mr O'Brien said.