THE NSW Government's decision to postpone this year's council elections has been welcomed by councillors across the region.
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Initially slated to take place in September, the elections would have meant residents across the state would have gathered to decide the formation of their local councils for the next four years.
However, the government's decision will now push the election to September 2021, which will mean each council will host mayoral elections in September this year.
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Tamworth mayor Col Murray said while he had initially not intended to run for re-election later this year, the decision had helped "ease the pressure on all the other things happening in local government at the moment".
"At the end of this term in council, I will not seek another term," Cr Murray said.
"I've had 16 years, but that looks like it will be extended to 17 years, which is enough for myself.
"There is lots of interest in the community and I'm confident we will have an appropriate group of councillors for the future."
Cr Murray said there was measures in place to allow any councillors who had planned to finish their tenure in September to step aside before next year's elections.
"For me personally, we are right in the midst of a crisis and my total focus is doing what I can for the council to help get through this," he said.
"There is provision under the act for members to resign their positions as councillors within 18 months of an election and not have to have to have a by-election.
"That's a very important factor, and we are in that 18 month timeframe, so that could happen.
"I must say, I am very confident with the group of councillors we have at the moment and I expect it will be just business as usual until the end of this term."
Liverpool Plains mayor Andrew Hope echoed councillor Murray's sentiments saying the decision to delay the elections was "a common-sense decision.
"The important thing for us to do right now is to practice social distancing and by postponing the elections, there will be one less situation where big numbers of the community will gather," Cr Hope told the Leader.
"I can't speak for everyone, but I am quite sure all of our councillors will be prepared to do their best for the community for the additional 12 months of the term.
"The other good thing this decision allows us to do, is to just focus on what we can do to help our community through this pandemic as best we can."
Cr Hope said he had not given much thought to gaining re-election for the next term of council, or to continuing his role as mayor.
"To be honest, I hadn't really given it much thought," he said.
"I was planning on making the decision a bit closer to the election and we currently have bigger priorities to worry about."
Cr Murray gave a similar response when asked if he would run for re-election as mayor saying: "I haven't really thought about that, that will come in time."
Billy Jupp
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
