Ararat seeks new mayor

Ararat Rural City Council chief executive Allan Bawden has confirmed Glenda Mclean has resigned as a councillor, effective immediately.

Mr Bawden said Ms Mclean confirmed her resignation in writing before 5pm on Friday.

Ms Mclean announced during an interview on ABC radio last week that she would resign as mayor, but added she was still considering staying on as a councillor to continue to represent the people of Ararat. Mr Bawden said this was no longer the case. “We will advise Local Government Victoria of the vacancy on council and they will take the necessary steps to have the Victorian Electoral Commission do a countback,” he said.

“A date for a special council meeting will be announced in the near future to elect a new mayor.”

Deputy mayor Gwenda Allgood will be acting mayor until councillors elect a new one.

Ararat councillors carried a motion at a meeting on Tuesday night last week, demanding she resign as both mayor and a councillor.

Their move followed a period of uncertainty and speculation about her whereabouts.

Ms Mclean has a new full-time job at North West Hospital and Health Service at Mt Isa.

A new councillor will be determined via a countback at Ararat and Grampians Visitor Information Centre on Monday, May 21, at 11.30am.

Victorian Electoral Commission returning officer Charmaine Morel said a countback of votes from the 2016 Ararat Rural City Council election would avoid the need for a by-election.

“The vacating councillor’s votes will be distributed to the remaining eligible unsuccessful candidates from the 2016 election, according to voters’ preferences,” she said.

“The candidate who gains more than 50 percent of the countback votes will be elected.”

The countback is open to the public.