Back to the future: McKinna is Mayor and Eaton his Deputy

Central Coast Council has returned to a democratically elected council, with Lawrie McKinna elected Mayor and Doug Eaton elected Deputy Mayor, following four years of administration.

Both men have worn the chains of office before.

Cr McKinna was mayor of the former Gosford Council and Cr Eaton was the mayor of the former Wyong Council before the two entities merged in 2016 to become Central Coast Council.

The 15 new councillors elected the mayor and deputy at an extraordinary council meeting held on Tuesday, October 8.

All but one councillor was present at the Wyong council chambers and one used technology to be there.

Cr John Mouland was present by audio-visual link from Europe after councillors voted eight to seven to allow his participation.

Two nominations were received for the position of mayor: Cr McKinna from Team Central Coast and Labor Cr Kyle MacGregor.

The election saw the five Liberals and three Team Central Coast councillors vote for Cr McKinna, giving him the role.

The five Labor councillors and two Independents Jane Smith and Corinne Lamont voted for Cr MacGregor.

Two councillors nominated for deputy mayor: Labor Cr Belinda Neal and the Independent-Liberal Cr Eaton.

He received the same eight votes as the Mayor from the Liberals and Team Central Coast and Cr Neal received the same seven votes from Labor and two Independents as Cr MacGregor.

Deputy Mayor Doug Eaton is the president of the Warnervale Branch of the Liberal Party but stood as an Independent with Liberal values at the council elections, held on September 14.

The 15 Central Coast Councillors including the Mayor and Deputy are: Helen Crowley, Douglas Eaton and John Mouland in the Budgewoi ward; Lawrie McKinna, Sharon Walsh and Jared Wright in Gosford East ward; Trent McWaide, Belinda Neal and Jane Smith in Gosford West ward; Margot Castles, Rachel Stanton, and Corinne Lamont in The Entrance ward; Kyla Daniels, Kyle MacGregor, and John McNamara in the Wyong ward.

It is the first election on the Coast since the Council was put into administration in October 2020 under the direction of the Minister for Local Government, as a result of a financial crisis.

The councillors will serve for four years before the next Local Government Election in 2028. 

The Coast also voted in a Constitutional Referendum that saw 62 per cent agree to reduce the wards from five to three and the councillors from 15 to nine at the 2028 elections.

Because of this, any councillor who resigns their position or can no longer continue as a councillor, for any reason, will not be replaced, unless the number of councillors is reduced to less than nine.

The next ordinary meeting of the council is expected to be held later in October.

Merilyn Vale