The 15 new Central Coast councillors have been officially named after the NSW Electoral Commission declared the numbers on Monday, September 30.
Four distinct groups have emerged after the count was declared with five Labor, five Liberal including one Independent Liberal, three Team Central Coast and two Independent conservation-focused councillors.
Three former mayors and one former federal Member of Parliament will grace the council chamber.
| Group/Ward | Gos’ West | Gos’ East | Wyong | The Ent’ | Budgi’ |
| Liberal | T. McWaide | J. Wright | J. McNamara | R. Stanton | D. Eaton |
| Team CC | L. McKinna | K. Daniels | J. Mouland | ||
| Labor | B. Neal | S. Walsh | K. MacGregor | M. Castles | H. Crowley |
| Indies | J. Smith | C. Lamont |
The race is now on to elect the all-important new mayor and deputy mayor at the first council meeting to be held on Tuesday, October 8.
In theory, any one of the councillors can be elected mayor and deputy mayor for two-year terms, though in practice the parties and/or groups with the most votes will get their candidate in.
The two most likely mayoral candidates are former pre-amalgamation mayors Lawrie McKinna, the former Gosford Council’s final mayor; and Doug Eaton, the final mayor of the former Wyong Council.
However, alternative candidates at the vote by councillors will likely be former MP Belinda Neal and former Central Coast Council mayor Jane Smith.
Other previous councillors include Kyle MacGregor, Labor councillor for the Wyong Ward, who was suspended along with Smith when the first Central Coast Council went into administration in October 2020, followed by the sacking of councillors in March 2022 as a result of the Public Inquiry into the council’s financial issues.
Labor’s Belinda Neal, a former senator, MP and Gosford councillor, and John McNamara, a former Wyong councillor, have both been elected: Neal in Gosford West ward and McNamara in the Wyong ward.
New councillors include two from McKinna’s Team Central Coast: CEO of Regional Development Australia Central Coast John Mouland in the Budgewoi ward, and Kyla Daniels in the Wyong ward.
Other first-time councillors included three Liberals – Trent McWaide in Gosford West ward; Jared Wright in Gosford East ward and Rachel Stanton in The Entrance ward; and three Labor councillors – Helen Crowley in Budgewoi ward, Sharon Walsh in the Gosford East ward and Margot Castles in The Entrance ward: as well as Independent, Save our Sands campaigner Corine Lamont.
Candidates have 24 hours from the NSW Electoral Commission’s declaration on Monday, September 30, to lodge a request for a recount.
- If no recounts are requested, the results stand.
Why is new Independent councillor Corinne Lamont not mentioned in the main story?
Thank you Janet. A little closer look will see she is named and refered to. Rest assured all the councillors will be profiled as we move forward.
Am I alone in feeling a little uncomfortable that the likely candidates for mayor were councillors or held the position of mayor in the previous line ups that got into us into such an appalling mess that the administrator was appointed?
I was of the understanding that previous Councillors, before Administration, could not stand?
Thanks Denise, many have wondered too. FYI: They were no adverse unlawful finding against them in the inquiry.
How could two people already suspended for incompetence get reflected.
Same old names return.
Seems the electorate have have learned nothing.
Back to the future!!@