Tweed Shire councillors have elected a new Deputy Mayor: Reece Byrnes.
A statement from Tweed Council says Cr Byrnes will take over the position from Cr Meredith Dennis, who nominated him for the position.
The statement reads, ‘In the Tweed, the Mayor and Deputy Mayor are elected by the Councillors in a process managed by Council’.
‘Cr Kimberly Hone also stood for the position of Deputy Mayor.
‘Mayor, Chris Cherry, was re-elected at the first meeting of the Council in October 2024 for a period of two years. The Deputy Mayor position formerly held by Cr Dennis, was elected for one year.
‘Cr Byrnes has been a Tweed Shire Councillor representing the Labor Party since he was elected in 2016 as a 28-year-old. He was the youngest councillor in the history of Tweed Shire Council at that time. He previously served as Deputy Mayor in 2017/2018 and again from September 2020 to September 2022.
‘Cr Byrnes’ family have lived in the Tweed since the 1960s and his father was a local prawn fisherman. He currently lives in Banora Point with his wife and seven month-old daughter.
Tweed Shire Mayor Chris Cherry said she was pleased to welcome Cr Byrnes back to the role as Deputy Mayor and looked forward to working closely with him again.
She also acknowledged the work done by Meredith Dennis as Deputy Mayor over the last year and in previous terms.
‘Cr Dennis is both an outstanding Councillor and a well-loved and active member of the Tweed community. She has been extremely hardworking and whole-of-community focused as Deputy Mayor and I thank her for the contribution she has made in representing Council on many occasions during the last term.
‘Cr Byrnes is really experienced on Council and received the biggest increase in votes at the last local government election so I am sure he will be a popular choice as Deputy Mayor. It’s great, as Mayor, to work with someone who is genuine in his support and enthusiasm for the work of Council,’ Cr Cherry said.
The newly-elected Deputy Mayor said he was excited about the opportunities ahead.
‘I want to recognise the work of all my colleagues despite their poltical leanings,’ Cr Byrnes said.
‘My mission now as your Deputy Mayor is to restore some kindness to the local poltical debate, and to raise the bar of decency in our discourse in troubling and hard times for all.
‘For the next few weeks I will be getting back into this role and get your Council operating in a way that reflects our modern ideals and our shared values.’
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