Glenda McLean has resigned as Ararat Rural City’s mayor and as a councillor following a week of public and political pressure over her plan to be a ‘fly-in, fly-out’’ mayor from north Queensland.
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Councillors were told by Ararat Rural City chief executive Allan Bawden on Friday evening that, effective from that day, Cr McLean would officially resign from all council roles.
Cr McLean told ABC radio on Thursday afternoon that she would resign as mayor and was considering her future as a councillor, but waited almost 24 hours to confirm her intentions in writing.
Mr Bawden said Cr McLean confirmed her resignation in writing shortly before 5pm on Friday.
“We will advise Local Government Victoria of the vacancy on council, and they will take the necessary steps to have the Victorian Electoral Commission conduct a count back,” Mr Bawden said.
“A date for a special Council meeting will be announced in the near future to elect a new mayor.
“In the meantime deputy mayor, Cr Allgood will be acting mayor.”
Cr Allgood welcomed Cr McLean’s decision.
“I think it’s a really good decision for Glenda,” Cr Allgood said.
“I must admit I was becoming a little bit worried about her. I think that she has done the right thing and I fully support what she has done.”
Cr Allgood said holding a vote countback, based on the 2016 election results, to fill the now-empty seat on council would save time and money compared with holding a brand new vote.
“It’s an opportunity for someone to come into the council and make their mark,” Cr Allgood said.
“it saves going back to the polls, which is always a drama.”
Ararat Rural City will now face its second countback in less than six months, as Paul Hooper quit council last year in response to Cr McLean’s election as mayor.
Cr Bill Braithwaite was elected in his place, and it was him who last week moved the motion to declare no confidence in Cr McLean as mayor.
Victoria’s Local Government Minister has urged Ararat Rural City’s mayor to clarify her future intentions after Cr McLean demanded a meeting before stepping down as council leader.
Ararat Rural City councillors passed a motion of no confidence in Cr McLean as mayor during Tuesday night’s council meeting.
A motion calling on Cr McLean to resign as mayor and a councillor was also passed by four votes to two.
Cr Allgood said she abstained from voting on the first motion as she was the acting chair of the meeting but voted for the motion for Cr McLean to resign.
Ripon MP Louise Staley commissioned a phone poll on Wednesday night that asked 400 residents if the state government should sack all Ararat Rural City councillors.
According to Ms Staley, 77 per cent of the respondents said ‘yes’, five per cent said ‘no’ and 18 per cent said they ‘did not know’.
Last Friday, reports began to emerge that councilors had not been seen or heard from Cr McLean in weeks and that she had taken up a new job at North West Health in Mount Isa, 2600 kilometers from Ararat Rural City.