New look council

By Dion Teasdale
SHIRE of Yarra Ranges has a new-look council with over half of the councillors being new faces.
Five first-time councillors were ushered in after shire wide elections, held via postal vote, were concluded over the weekend.
The new-look nine-member council is made up of three women and six men, the same gender split as the previous term, but only four experienced councillors have been returned.
Incumbents, Ken Smith from Chirnside Ward, Noel Cliff from Streeton Ward and Walling Ward’s Len Cox were all returned to office with convincing majorities.
“I was absolutely gobsmacked the first time I was elected, but this (win) has hit pretty hard because I think I must have done something good for people to put me back again,” Cr Cliff said.
O’Shannassy Ward councillor Monika Keane, the council’s deputy mayor during the previous term, was re-elected unopposed.
Billanook Ward’s Clive Larkman was the only previous councillor who failed to be re-elected.
Mr Larkman recorded the highest number of primary votes in his ward, but lost to newcomer Tim Heenan after the distribution of preferences. Mr Heenan won by 670 votes.
The four remaining wards, Ryrie, Lyster, Melba and Chandler, also have new faces after long-serving councillors and former mayors Di Moore, David Hodgett, Robyn Hale and Alan Fincher decided not to run.
In Chandler Ward, previously occupied by Monbulk police sergeant Alan Fincher, candidate Graham Warren out-polled restaurateur Jeynelle Forrest.
Mr Warren received 56.76 per cent of the primary vote to Ms Forrest’s 43.24 per cent, and he won by 997 votes.
“I am really excited about my new role even though I’m a bit daunted by how much there is to learn,” Mr Warren said.
“I’ve got big shoes to fill coming in after Alan Fincher, but Alan will be helping me find my feet.”
Mr Warren said two of his priorities would be the development of the Monbulk Community Centre and the upgrading roads across the shire.
The most tightly contested ward was Ryrie where 194 votes separated the winner, Jeanette McRae, from runner-up Kerri Goding.
Despite polling the largest primary vote, a total of 3084 votes compared to Ms McRae’s 1821 primary votes, Mrs Goding lost after preferences were distributed.
Samantha Dunn, a candidate endorsed by the Australian Greens Party, is the new councillor for Lyster Ward.
Ms Dunn polled the highest primary vote and despite a close contest with the other leading candidate, Lyn Young, she won by 827 votes after preferences were distributed. Ms Dunn’s win coincides with Greens candidates having been elected to Maribyrnong, Moonee Valley and Whitehorse councils, with pending results bringing potential Greens wins in Brimbank, Macedon Ranges and Mount Alexander.
These results could increase the number of Greens councillors across the state from 10 to 17.
Terry Avery is the new councillor for Melba Ward, the ward previously occupied by outgoing mayor and Liberal candidate for Kilsyth David Hodgett.
Mr Avery polled the highest number of primary votes and convincingly won the ward by 2235 votes after preferences were distributed.
In only two of the eight wards contested did successful candidates poll a majority of the primary vote.
In the other six wards successful candidates did not emerge until preferences were distributed.