A MOTION for the question of a popularly elected mayor to be referred to a referendum at the 2017 local council election was lost at the Ordinary Meeting of Bathurst Regional Council last week.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Councillor Bobby Bourke put the motion forward in response to a report before councillors on the question of a popularly elected mayor, but failed to get the support of his fellow councillors.
Cr Bourke called for a referendum, saying the public should have a say in whether they do or do not want a popularly elected mayor.
During discussion, Cr Monica Morse said councillors were in a better position to determine the position of mayor, likening the situation to a board of directors selecting a chairman instead of the stakeholders.
She also said council should wait to see the results of the election in Orange later this year, where a mayor will be popularly elected for the first time, before making a decision for Bathurst.