Gunnedah Shire Council has elected a Mayor and Deputy Mayor at the first meeting of the newly elected Council.
Cr Jamie Chaffey has been elected unopposed as the Mayor of Gunnedah Shire Council and Cr Robert Hooke has been elected as the Deputy Mayor.
The positions are decided through a ballot of the elected members.
Cr Jamie Chaffey, who has been the Gunnedah Shire Mayor for the past five years, said he was "humbled" to have the support of Councillors to continue in the role with the newly elected Council.
"As a group of elected members, we have a big responsibility ahead of us," Cr Chaffey said. "Our community expects strong and effective representation, and we can't lose sight of that.
"We need to advise the State and Federal governments on the needs of our community as we have in the past, very effectively.
"I really do look forward to, and am excited about, what's ahead. We already have a strong list of projects to go on with in our delivery of the operational plan.
"There may be challenges. We faced challenges including COVID-19 in our last term, but as a united body, I am sure that we can do it again if it is needed."
Cr Hooke said it was "a privilege and an honour" to be re-elected as Deputy Mayor.
"One of the main objectives of my role will be to make sure we have a very collegiate Council working towards the goals and aspirations we have enunciated over the last 12 months, with the focus being health and economic development," Cr Hooke said.
Nine Councillors were elected at the December local government election. They are: Jamie Chaffey, Colleen Fuller, Murray O'Keefe, David Moses, Kate McGrath, Ann Luke, Juliana McArthur, Robert Hoddle and Robert Hooke.
These Councillors today attended an extraordinary meeting of Council, where they took an oath or affirmation of office declaring they would undertake the duties of the office of Councillor in the best interests of the people of Gunnedah and Gunnedah Shire Council, and would faithfully and impartially carry out the functions, powers, authorities and discretions vested in them under the Local Government Act 1993.
Caption:
Mayor Jamie Chaffey and Deputy Mayor Rob Hooke shake hands following the mayoral ballot.
