Meander Valley Local Government Election

In the Meander Valley Council election voting remained consistently below the average trend of this election and of the 2007 until the last days when it surged but ended 6.03% below.

State wide voting also remained below the percentage returned in 2007 until the last days when it ended at 55.21%, 1.91% below.

At the close of polling MV had returned 7491 [Provisional] out of a possible 13,914 voters.

In 2007 8132 voted out of a possible 13585.

The quota was 1036.

For the 6 vacancies for Councillor, 1 being casual [a 2 year term] primary votes were;

Loone, Bob Chudleigh 1899 1.82

Frost, Pat Westbury 1413 1.35

Richardson, Bob Westbury 800 0.77

Perkins, Craig Prospect Vale 502 0.48

Linger, Rodney Mole Creek 491 0.47

Gee, John Westbury 457 0.44

White, Deborah Exton 454 0.44

Stephens, Peter Prospect Vale 435 0.42

Flowers, Ron Elizabeth Town 266 0.26

Synfield, Rodney Western Creek 187 0.18

Knowles, Kevin Meander 150 0.14

Parsons, phill Elizabeth Town 129 0.12

Hutchins, Rod Birralee 112 0.11

Following the Hare-Clarke system as applied to a LG Election saw Loone and Frost elected.

Their surplus elected Richardson although most of these were from Loone.

Distribution from the candidates with the lowest votes elected

Linger, Perkins and White in that order.

Gee was excluded last. The preferences would not stretch to electing 3 ‘blues’, following on Bonham’s classification system.

With the whole LG Area treated as a single electorate candidates from centres of population are bound to benefit from the votes of other candidates from that centre. This phenomenon propelled Perkins to fifth elected ahead of White when Stephens was distributed.

White fills a casual vacancy and so will face the electors in 2011 when there will be 4 vacancies. Building her profile among the electors, especially in Prospect Vale will be important if she wishes to be re-elected.

This election represents a potential change to Council on the important issue of the 2007 Draft Planning Scheme. Staff managed to convince a majority of the 9 Councillors into abandoning years of work without any evidence of the necessity of taking that course.

If the 2 new Councillors take a contrary view this matter could be reversed at the next Council meeting addressing one outstanding issue for MV residents. The effect the PAL Policy has on landholders in the Rural Zone who cannot meet the requirements of the policy is they are unable to build on their land or sell and regain the value of their investment, if they so wished.

The policy has devalued their land because it cannot be used for residential purposes. It is not just to force such an uncompensated loss on landholders or clever to keep the total value of rateable properties low..

Mayor Mark Shelton was re-elected on 71%, improving his chances of pulling a high personal vote in the LGA as the Liberal candidate in the next State election. He defeated Cr. Bob Richardson.

Deputy Mayor Bob Loone was returned after a challenge from Cr Pat Frost.

At one stage the Electoral Office had Cr. Loone on 1.8 quotas and Frost on 1.3 and Frost leading in the Deputy Mayor count.

It appears to have been a simple transposition of the count, as her lead more than reverted to Cr Loone by the end of the night. Loone on 57.28% with 99 votes still to be counted.