On Monday 31 January 2022, the Lord Mayor and 12 Councillors for Wollongong City Council took the Oath or Affirmation of Office at their first Council meeting for the new term of Council.
Wasting no time to get to work, Councillors also elected Councillor Tania Brown to the position of Deputy Lord Mayor for Wollongong City Council. This decision was made by Council with open voting (a show-of-hands vote).
Cr Tania Brown will hold the position of Deputy Lord Mayor from now to September 2023, when a new election will be held.
The role of the Deputy Lord Mayor is an important position as it assumes all the duties and powers of the Lord Mayor at the request of the current Lord Mayor. The Deputy Lord Mayor will provide support and takes on the responsibilities of the Lord Mayor if the Lord Mayor is ill, absent or if there is a casual vacancy in the Office of the Lord Mayor.
“I’d like to congratulate and welcome Cr Tania Brown into the role of Wollongong City Council Deputy Lord Mayor. Just like the role of the Lord Mayor, the Deputy Lord Mayor is often called upon to assume responsibility, duties and powers at different points during the Council term. I am looking forward to working with Cr Brown on behalf of our city,” Wollongong Council Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery AM said.
“I’d also like to congratulate and welcome our city’s newly elected Councillors, some of whom are first-time Councillors, and many who are returning to serve their community for another term. All Councillors took an Oath or Affirmation of Office at the start of the meeting as required under the Local Government Act 1993.
“The selection of the Deputy Lord Mayor is one of the very first decisions we make together as newly elected Councillors at the start of the Council term. It’s nice to be able to start the new year with our first Council meeting and get straight down to work.”
Wollongong City Council Councillors
- Wollongong City Lord Mayor Councillor Gordon Bradbery AM
- Cr Elisha Aitken
- Cr Cath Blakey
- Cr David Brown
- Cr Tania Brown
- Cr Linda Campbell
- Cr Mithra Cox
- Cr John Dorahy
- Cr Dom Figliomeni
- Cr Janice Kershaw
- Cr Ann Martin
- Cr Richard Martin
- Cr Cameron Waters
Council has also declared that in the event of any casual vacancies occurring in the office of a Councillor, within 18 months of the last ordinary election, the position would be filled by a countback of votes cast at the December 2021 election.
The countback of votes would be held in accordance with section 291A of the Local Government Act (1993). This is the first time that Wollongong City Council has had the option of using a countback of votes cast at the last ordinary election to fill any potential casual vacancies that may occur.
