At Wednesday’s meeting it was clear both had made little progress in mending their differences since the mayoral election three weeks earlier.

The seat configurations at the chambers’ table were markedly different to the allocations mapped out on page four of the council agenda.

Cr Arkwright opted not to sit between the man who betrayed her, Cr Stranger, and the man she lost his vote to, Cr Duncan Gair.

She instead swapped sides with Cr Paul Tuddenham.

Cr Stranger began the meeting with a brief statement.

“I have resigned from the Liberal Party, I will now represent and work for our community as an independent councillor,” he said.

Cr Arkwright immediately responded with her own prepared statement.

“I note Cr Stranger’s statement and I want to say that I will continue to represent the community as a member of the Liberal Party,” Cr Arkwright said.

“I think it should also be noted that councillor Stranger arrived to council in the first place courtesy of the Liberal Party.”

Cr Arkwright announced she intended to put forward a notice of motion at the next meeting to discuss the mayoral elections process, suggesting a “referendum” could be the ideal way to proceed.

Cr Larry Whipper, who will be absent at the next meeting, was quick to request Cr Arkwright delay her motion until a later meeting so that “all councillors” could be present for the vote.

This is despite the majority of councillors not giving the same courtesy to Cr Graham McLaughlin, who missed out on voting in the mayoral elections because councillors were unable to find any time in the whole month of September when all councillors could be present.

The date chosen for the elections, September 22, coincided with Cr McLaughlin’s overseas holiday.

Cr Arkwright agreed to delay her motion.