Councillor Chris Cherry elected Mayor of Tweed

Councillor Chris Cherry has been elected as Mayor of Tweed for the next 12 months until local government elections are held in September 2021.

At an Extraordinary Council meeting held Thursday 17 September 2020, Councillor Cherry was elected by her fellow councillors.

In a show of hands, Councillor Cherry received five votes, while the only other candidate, Councillor Warren Polglase, received two votes.

Councillor Cherry was supported by Councillors Byrnes, Cooper, Milne and Owen. Councillor Polglase was supported by Councillor Allsop.

Councillor Reece Byrnes was elected unopposed to the role of Deputy Mayor, as there were no other nominees. Councillor Byrnes will also be in this position until council elections are held next year.

The outgoing Mayor, Councillor Katie Milne, did not nominate for the position but continues in her role as councillor. She has held the position of Mayor for the past five years.

Councillor Cherry paid tribute to Councillor Milne for her dedication to the community and the Tweed's internationally significant environment.

"Under Councillor Milne's leadership our Shire has established a strong sustainability reputation, with a focus on protecting our World Heritage environment and relaxed lifestyle. She will be a tough act to follow and I thank her for her support," she said.

"My vision as Mayor is for our community to be proud of their Council, for the way we stand up for them, for the way we defend their rights and for the way we look after this land.

"As seven councillors, we each represent different views within the community, but what we all have in common is the desire to do our best for the people. We may not always agree, but we respect each other's views and as Mayor, I will work to find the common ground wherever that can be found."

Councillor Byrnes said he was committed to a strong focus on economic growth and rebuilding our region and economy.

"More than ever, as a Council and as a community, we need to focus on the immediate task ahead - rebuilding our region after the COVID-19 crisis," he said.

"As we work towards a recovery for our Shire post COVID-19, locals are telling me they want certainty from our Council, and a plan for our future, a plan for jobs and a plan for our environment.

"We are all in this together, and as Deputy Mayor, I'm committed to working hard every day for our community."

Councillor Cherry has previously served as Deputy Mayor in 2016/17, 2018/19 and most recently in 2019/20.

Councillor Byrnes served as Deputy Mayor in 2017/18.

To view the meeting minutes, including voting, visit www.tweed.nsw.gov.au/CouncilMeetings