THERE could be at least four new faces on Bathurst Regional Council following elections expected to be held later this year.
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The State Electoral Commission is yet to confirm a date for the election that was postponed last year while Bathurst remained an amalgamation target, but most believe it will be on Saturday, September 9 in line with other local government elections across the state.
While five councillors from the current term have indicated they intend to seek re-election, two have said they are quitting and two more remain undecided.
Former mayor Gary Rush resigned from council last week following a drink-driving charge and said he would not be running again while Monica Morse, the only female on the current council, is also retiring.
Former councillor Jess Jennings, who resigned from council in May last year to contest the federal election as Labor’s candidate for Calare, said he would consider his options over the coming months in terms of “business, family and politics” while Greg Westman is also undecided about is future.
“I enjoy being on council and putting myself forward for the community but I also need to focus on my home life and work life as well,” Cr Westman said.
“But I certainly don’t want to leave behind a disjointed council coming into the new term.
“I want to see a cohesive council and a progressive council so I will be looking to see which candidates are putting their hands up.
“If I’m seeing quality candidates then I will step away but if I’m not I will possibly run again.”
With the expected ballot still six months away, though, negotiations are already under way about possible teams – or tickets – to appear on the ballot paper.
Above-the-line voting proved popular at the 2012 election when just three groups – headed by Jess Jennings, Warren Aubin and Greg Westman – appeared on the Bathurst ballot paper.
Those three tickets shared around half of the 21,419 first preference votes cast at the election, meaning all three candidates were comfortably elected.
It will be much more crowded above the line this time round with all five of the councillors who are running again – mayor Graeme Hanger, deputy Michael Coote, Bobby Bourke, Ian North and Warren Aubin – planning to head up their own tickets.
Cr Bourke, in particular, has already been canvassing potential candidates to run on his team.
“This could be my last term on council and I would like to get a couple of Bobby Bourke apprentices in there to do a bit for the community,” he said.
