Mix of experience and new blood with three new councillors sworn in at Shire of Woodanilling after election

The new Shire of Woodanilling council is a mix of fresh faces and experienced members. The Great Southern shire had a field of four candidates for the local government election for three open seats on the council. Two of the four candidates were incumbents. Outgoing shire president Dale Douglas finished his term on the council this year and decided not to re-contest his seat for another term, leaving both a seat on the council and the role of president open. Russel Thomson, who has served on the council since 1982, campaigned to keep his seat and was successful with 56 first preference votes. Fresh faces Sally Vermeulen and Morris Trimming were elected second and third, claiming the last two open seats on 51 and 45 first preference votes, respectively, as incumbent Beverly Smith ran fourth, narrowly missing out on a council seat. In total 176 ballots were counted, 55 per cent of the shire’s 318 eligible voters sending in their votes. The new councillors will join incumbents Ian Garstone, Kahlia Stephens and Rodney Marshall. In the new council’s first meeting on October 21, three days after the election, all three newly elected councillors were sworn in, and Cr Thomson was elected as the shire’s new president, stepping up from his duties as deputy president. Newcomer Cr Vermeulen accepted a nomination for deputy president, and was voted in to fill the role.