Councillor Barry Longland (pictured) is the new Mayor of Tweed until September 2012, following an Extraordinary Meeting of Tweed Shire Council this afternoon.
Voting was by open ballot and a show of hands.
Councillor Longland received four votes to three against sitting Mayor Kevin Skinner, after the only other nominee, Councillor Warren Polglase, was eliminated after he received one vote in an earlier voting round.
Councillor Longland received his own vote and those of Councillors Katie Milne, Dot Holdom and Phil Youngblutt. Voting for Councillor Skinner were Councillors Joan van Lieshout, Warren Polglase and Kevin Skinner.
Councillor Longland, a former accountant, lives in the village of Uki and was elected to Tweed Shire Council in 2008. He is the fourth Mayor in the life of this council, with residents returning to the polls to elect a new council in September 2012.
“In my year as Mayor, I wish to achieve shared values among the councillors with regard to future growth in the Tweed that maintains our natural assets, while providing for growth in the economy and the population we need to sustain the services our residents look to Council to provide,” Councillor Longland said.
Councillor Phil Youngblutt was elected to the position of Deputy Mayor after receiving five votes against two for Councillor Joan van Lieshout.
“I’m pleased to take on the role of Deputy Mayor and I’ll have no problem at all getting along with Barry,” Councillor Youngblutt said.
To Councillor Barry Longland and Tweed Shire Council
We the people of Uki, Tweed Shire, Australia and the world call on you to please act urgently to protect Tweed Coast’s koalas. The Tweed Coast Koala Habitat Study 2015 shows koala populations are in severe decline north of Koala Beach and ‘stable’ at Pottsville/Black Rocks. However, stable only means the same low levels as 2010.
In December 2015 another two Black Rocks koalas have been found with conjunctivitis/chlamydia, one of them a joey. Chlamydia is linked to stress-related disturbance/noise and there is clearly already too much stress at Black Rocks without adding more. In the last two years, six Black Rocks koalas have died of stress-related disease. Out of a small population of an estimated 15-35 in the Pottsville/Black Rocks area, this high rate of death is unsustainable.
Black Rocks koalas have no protection under the Council’s Tweed Coast Koala Plan of Management (KPoM). Their own independent KPoM is outdated and its recommendations – only small dogs in enclosed yards, no dangerous breeds, monitoring every 12 months for 3 years – are not implemented.
Cr Longland, in the Tweed Valley Weekly 18th September, 2014 issue you said, “I am keen to protect koalas and have them thrive.” We voted you into council believing you would protect the environment. Over the last two years you have voted against effective protection for Black Rocks koalas. You have also been the main instigator for the koala protection gate to be replaced with a grid, and you approved a Men’s Shed on the sports field. Both of these things will increase the human footprint and cause more disturbance, noise, and stress for the koalas.
We acknowledge that you hold the balance of power in council. Therefore your motions and votes are CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. Please call for an urgent rescission motion on removing the koala-protection gate and the Men’s Shed, and put in a motion for revegetation and enclavement for Black Rocks sports field. You have the power to save these koalas for the sake of Tweed Coast koalas. Barry, please don’t let us, and the koalas, down.