He confirmed yesterday that he would not re-contest the September Bathurst Regional Council elections.

The cattle farmer received a lion’s share of the country vote, along with Paul Toole, to be swept into office in 2008.

He led the fight to retain the Bathurst saleyards in 2007, but history shows that campaign was lost, and the Central Tablelands Livestock Exchange was opened at Carcoar.

Cr Thompson said yesterday his decision was not taken lightly.

“Increasing family and business commitments do not allow me the amount of time to dedicate myself 100 per cent to the role, while travel time was also an issue which had to be considered,” he said.

“While I will be leaving council, I do desperately hope council does get a representative from the former Evans Shire who is, ideally, also a farmer.”

Cr Thompson said he believes there are important decisions awaiting a new council.

“If I was running, the first thing I would do is to be frank with the public regarding a rate rise,” he said.

“There is absolutely no doubt this issue will come up sooner rather than later. Cost shifting and rate pegging are not happy bedfellows with infrastructure and service delivery.

“The next term of council is certainly going to have to make savvy investments, but even if it does that, I do not think it will be enough to overcome the funding shortfalls due to rate pegging and cost shifting.

“If we want to maintain the standards of service delivery and infrastructure improvement we have come to expect in Bathurst, it all points to a rate hike coming up for debate.”

As for the question of a popularly elected mayor, Cr Thompson believes it’s just not on.

“I don’t care what is happening at Orange. While-ever we have compulsory voting, I think it is nonsense to have a popularly elected mayor,” he said.

“Council is really no different to a board of directors. Surely those who have to work with the chairman or mayor will be the ones who are best informed and should be the people making the decisions.

“With compulsory voting the disinterested vote is too high. Popular mayoral elections give incentive for candidates to throw huge wads of money at a campaign to become mayor. We aren’t America, thank heavens. Leave it alone, please.”

Cr Thompson said he hopes that if Cr Bobby Bourke is re-elected, he maintains his focus to have a crematorium built in the city.

He also believes the city is a top-heavy sporting town and would like to see a long-term plan for a new arts precinct coming together in the next couple of years.