MITCHELL Shire Council has a new Mayor, with Fiona Stevens elected to the position for the first time at a meeting this week.
Cr Stevens will be supported by Cr Louise Bannister as Deputy Mayor, marking the first time in Mitchell Shire’s history women have held both positions concurrently.
Cr Stevens was elected narrowly at Monday night’s statutory meeting, after Cr David Lowe, a former Mayor, also nominated. North ward councillor Bill Chisholm did not seek re-election after serving as Mayor for the past year.
Cr Lowe secured the backing of councillors Bob Cornish, Rob Eldridge and Rhonda Sanderson, but councillors Bannister, Chisholm, Nathan Clark and Annie Goble backed Cr Stevens, giving her the Mayor’s position by one vote.
Cr Lowe also nominated for the position of Deputy Mayor against Cr Bannister and was again defeated, with the same voting split as for the Mayor’s position.
Cr Stevens is a long-term Mitchell Shire resident, having grown up in Broadford and serving as a member of Victoria Police in Seymour for more than 30 years.
She said she was keen to find fair and appropriate outcomes to community concerns and passionate about Mitchell Shire’s progress.
“I am honoured to be able to serve the Mitchell Shire community as Mayor for the next 12 months,” she said.
“I’m delighted to have Louise as the Deputy Mayor. We bring different skills, experiences and perspectives and I believe this will be a great combination. I look forward to working closely with her throughout the next year.
“Growth is continuing in our shire and it presents a significant challenge for Council. We need to balance the needs our existing community while planning for the needs of our future population.”
Cr Bannister grew up on a farm near Seymour and moved back to the region seven years ago after graduating from the University of Melbourne with a major in media and communications and a masters in applied linguistics.
She said she valued research and evidence-based approaches and was keen to work with the community to advocate for infrastructure and services.
For more, see Tuesday’s edition of the North Central Review.
