Less than half of residents vote

A total of 18,737 Albany residents voted in this year’s local government elections, electing five new councillors and a new mayor to lead the Albany City Council for the next four years.

While the WA Electoral Commission predicted a 52 per cent return rate for City of Albany election packages distributed this year, only 43.61 per cent of Albany residents voted. Dennis Wellington will take on the position of mayor, joined by new councillors Vince Calleja, Greg Stocks, Sarah Bowles, Gerry Gregson and Alan Hortin.

Kalgan ward councillors Chris Holden and Yvonne Attwell were also elected unopposed last month.

The new councillors and mayor will be sworn in at a special meeting of council at 6pm tonight.

City of Albany chief executive Faileen James said councillors would be invited to undergo an induction program to familiarise themselves with City activities.

At its meeting last Tuesday, the council voted to adopt new policies and guidelines for the elected body. The policies and guidelines related to the elected member’s code of conduct, communication policy and induction manual, and the handling of complaints.

They were condemned by Cr David Bostock and ex-councillors Jill Bostock and Mervyn Leavesley.

Ms Bostock said the policy relating to complaints by or against elected members was open to abuse and a recipe for disaster.

“I think you all are aware that I have been subject to unprecedented, absolutely disgraceful behaviour and to think that this (policy) might take off … I think it would be dreadful,” she said at her final council meeting.

Council debated meeting procedures but changes were not adopted because council failed to reach absolute majority.

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