Evans in council comeback

Former Albany mayor Milton Evans is attempting to make an unexpected return to Albany City Council four years after declaring his time in local government was finished, saying he is refreshed and keen to contribute again.

Mr Evans was first elected to the council in 1999, was re-elected in 2003 and was elevated to mayor in 2007, serving until losing the position to current Mayor Dennis Wellington in 2011.

He is one of 21 nominations in next month's Albany council elections, standing for the vacancy in Breaksea Ward and running against four other candidates - Paul Terry, Val Green, Jon Doust and John Gates. After his mayoral defeat in 2011 and leading council through one of its most difficult periods, Mr Evans declared he was quitting local government.

"I am out of local government now," he told the _Albany Advertiser _ at the time.

However, he has had a change of heart and this week said he "missed" having a role on council.

Mr Evans said after a four-year break he felt refreshed and believed his historical knowledge would again be an asset.

"I was travelling in Europe and England and Ireland with my wife and had a clean break from local government because I'd been in there for 17 years," he said. "Looking at the issues right now, I believe as a result of my extensive experience I could be a support and be a conduit that has a connection to recent history.

"I just feel I have the experience … to get behind some of these issues the council is facing."

Mr Evans said an example was the recent tussle between Albany City Council and the Albany Agricultural Society.

"They need some input in respect of recent history and the connection to that history is important, because what I gather from the outside is that we have a lot of good officers but no real connection to history," he said.

Mr Evans said he did not re- nominate for mayor because he "felt it would be more beneficial to go for council". "The mayor's role, especially elected from the whole community and not from peers - it's a huge task," he said.

"I feel I would much rather be a councillor for no other reason than to be effective and work with the current mayor, whoever that may be."