FORMER Albury and Greater Hume mayors Alice Glachan and Denise Osborne have scored Local Government NSW board of director positions after a tumultuous period in the sector.
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The original board election results due to be announced last October were ruled invalid due to a computer glitch and then the outcome of council mergers had to play out before an election could be finally held.
The results were released late last week with Cr Osborne running as an independent candidate and Cr Glachan on a Liberal Party ticket.
Another Albury councillor, Kevin Mack, missed out.
But the successful candidates’ time on the board could be short-lived if they are not re-elected in September.
Only elected representatives from councils which avoided mergers could stand for LGNSW board positions.
“I’m back and I am very happy,” Cr Osborne said.
“I absolutely love it.
“But if a councillor on the board runs and is not re-elected to their own council they would create a vacancy.
“It has all been a bit odd, agreed.”
The election was conducted by postal vote with a low rate of return in regional areas.
If a councillor on the board runs and is not re-elected to their own council they would create a vacancy. It has all been a bit odd, agreed
- Cr Denise Osborne
Councillors Osborne and Glachan join Ruth Fagan, Rod Kendall, Phyllis Miller and Darriea Turley as regional directors.
Cr Ben Shields’ position on the board has been declared vacant due to the dissolution of Dubbo Council.
Cr Keith Rhoades is president of the LGNSW board.
Cr Osborne was a member of the former board and Cr Glachan has previously served on the NSW Local Government Association executive before a merger with the shires association.
Cr Glachan couldn't be contacted for comment by The Border Mail.
She has not confirmed whether she will be seeking re-election to Albury Council in September.
Cr Osborne was Greater Hume mayor for six years until 2012 and was mayor of the former Hume Shire before amalgamations in 2004.
Cr Glachan has been on Albury Council since 2004 and is the joint longest-serving city councillor with present mayor Henk van de Ven following the retirement earlier this year of Cr Patricia Gould.
She was mayor between 2009 and 2013 before being replaced by Cr Mack.
Meanwhile, Federation Council won’t be signing up to LGNSW for the next 12 months, representing a saving of $50,000.
The Corowa and Urana shires merged to form Federation Council in May and elections won’t be held until September, 2017.
