Tweed Councillor James Owner (Liberal) has called for a change to the way the Tweed Shire Council currently elects its Mayor and Deputy Mayor ahead of today’s elections.
‘The Mayoral vote will take place at this Thursday’s meeting. I will be supporting both Councillor Chris Cherry and Councillor Reece Byrnes in their respective Mayor and Deputy Mayor aspirations,’ he said in a press release.
However, Cr Owen said he had been approached by many people in the community who had asked him to nominate for one of those positions.
‘I’ve been overwhelmed, and completely humbled, by the number of people who have contacted me to ask me to put my hand up for Mayor or Deputy Mayor,’ he said.
‘Whilst it is something I would be honoured to do, the reality is I don’t have the numbers.
‘When the Mayor and Deputy Mayor are decided by their fellow Councillors, the majority block essentially determines who takes these positions, and over the last four years we have seen these roles passed around between that block of said Councillors.
I would like to see the Tweed Shire move towards a system whereby the Mayor is elected by the residents, and that they fulfil the role for the entire term. That to me is true democracy.’
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