Yarra Ranges Council is excited to welcome its newly elected Council for the 2020-24 term.
All nine ward councillor positions have been confirmed, with the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) formally declaring results on Friday, 6 November.
The successful candidates include some new faces alongside several returning Councillors. The election results are:
- Billanook Ward – Tim Heenan (returned)
- Chandler Ward – David Eastham (newly elected)
- Chirnside Ward – Richard Higgins (returned)
- Lyster Ward – Johanna Skelton (newly elected)
- Melba Ward – Sophie Todorov (newly elected
- O’Shannassy Ward – Jim Child (returned)
- Ryrie Ward – Fiona McAllister (returned)
- Streeton Ward – Catherine Burnett-Wake (newly elected)
- Walling Ward – Len Cox (returned)
CEO, Tammi Rose, congratulated all Councillor-Elects and has said the results will bring together fresh perspectives that complement the knowledge and experience of returning Councillors.
She said the previous Council had been successful in their four-year term.
“I’d like to take a moment to thank our 2016-20 Councillors, who worked closely and positively for the benefit of our community as a whole,” Ms Rose said.
“They had many achievements, from the creation of our Health and Wellbeing Strategy, our Integrated Transport Strategy and our Liveable Climate Plan, through to their work on our Homelessness Charter and the response to the rapidly-changing circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I’m proud of the work our Councillors did over the last four years and I look forward to the coming four years with our newly-formed Council.
“Thank you to our previous Council, particularly our four retiring Councillors, Terry Avery, Mike Clarke, Tony Stevenson and Noel Cliff, for their dedication to the Yarra Ranges community.”
Ms Rose said there had been significant interest in this year’s Council elections with nearly double the number of candidates nominating from the previous elections, with more than 40 per cent of nominees being female.
“It was wonderful to see an increase in the number of candidates running this year and getting involved in local politics,” she said.
“We look forward to introducing the new Council to the wider community following their official swearing in on Saturday 14 November 2020. Election of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor will occur the following week.
