9.00PM
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See the councillors take their oaths and affirmations of office:
8.15PM
Mayor Ken Halstead says he looks forward to the term ahead and gives the community an insight as to what can be expected of him in his capacity as mayor:
8.00PM
Mayor Ken Halstead and deputy mayor Ian Scandrett, both elected for a 2-year term, give their first interview:
6.30PM
Our reporter is currently undertaking interviews with the new leadership team and will return to the live blog from 7.30pm.
Photos of the meeting and video interviews with the new mayor and deputy mayor to come.
5.21PM
Nominations for the position of deputy mayor were received from Councillors Graham McLaughlin, Garry Turland and Ian Scandrett.
Cr McLaughlin requested that his nomination be withdrawn.
The vote proceeded based upon the remaining candidates, which again saw a 5 to 4 vote.
Councillors Gordon Markwart, Larry Whipper, Grahame Andrews, Ian Scandrett and Ken Halstead voted in favour of Ian Scandrett as the deputy mayor, for a period of two years.
This was the successful vote, which ruled out Garry Turland despite his support from Councillors Graham McLaughlin, Duncan Gair, Peter Nelson and Garry Turland.
5.20PM
5.15PM
Nominations have been received from Duncan Gair and Ken Halstead for the position of mayor.
Ken Halstead was elected as mayor in a 5 to 4 vote, with Councillors Ken Halstead, Ian Scandrett, Grahame Andrews, Larry Whipper and Gordon Markwart in support of Cr Halstead as mayor.
Remaining Councillors Graham McLaughlin, Duncan Gair, Peter Nelson and Garry Turland voted in favour of Duncan Gair as mayor, albeit unsuccessfully.
Councillor Gair addressed the meeting:
“I will move that we go to a referendum for a popularly elected mayor, I do believe the way that this is conducted is fractious.
“Nine councillors makes it a very different scenario, so that’s what I would like to see.
“I still congratulate you on being elected,” Cr Gair said.
In response, Councillor Halstead replied:
“I’ll be looking at embracing a board of directors, the ratepayers deserve to have [that structure],” Cr Halstead said.
5.11PM
Councillors have taken their oaths and affirmation of office.
5.00PM
MORE than 70 members of the public have poured into the council chambers for this afternoon’s mayoral election.
Ann Prendergast welcomed everyone in attendance to the 2016-2020 council term.
“You will notice the agenda is a briefer version today as we are dealing with very important issues, so we will be keeping strictly to those issues,” she said.