The Howlong candidate, who blitzed the vote in his hometown, said once the make-up of the new council was settled he would move to stop any costly push to oust Mr Gillard, who had his contract extended to 2020 by administrator Mike Eden.

The speculation about the general manager was brought into the public arena by former Corowa Shire councillor Gail Law who spoke out in support of Mr Gillard at a candidates’ forum in Howlong last week.

“There are a heap of things we've got to do, but planning and communication were high on my platform,” Mr Longley said..

“I also want to see all the in-fighting end, settle down and get on with life.

“Getting everyone on the same page will be my immediate priority to be honest.

“And all working with general manager so hopefully I can get a few others to do the same.”

Mr Longley banked on his four decades of community involvement in Howlong to get elected rather than form a ticket.

He has held roles with the town’s football, tennis and golf clubs and Lions and is also chairman of the Lowe Square committee of management.

“I’ve been around here for a fair while and done a bit in the community,” he said.

“I didn’t think it would be that comfortable, but I was quietly confident of my chances.

“The support has been great.

“It will be good.”

Mr Longley achieved the projected quota with a late surge of votes on Saturday night to be the first below the line or ungrouped candidate elected.

His individual vote also out-stripped the ticket from Howlong led by former Corowa Shire deputy mayor Mark Shields.

Mr Longley said he would be attending the public meeting in Howlong on Monday night when the Howlong Community Committee will reveal its latest plans to fight a compost plant being built on the edge of town.

“I’m dead-set against it. Particularly its location more than anything else,” he said.

“It wouldn’t matter if it was couple of miles further out of town, but the site at the moment is just wrong.”

Mr Shields will need to rely on preferences and pre-poll voting to assist him in staying in local government.

He was one of two councillors from Howlong on the former Corowa Shire with the other being Fiona Schirmer, who decided not to stand again.

But she served on the local representative committee established to support Mr Eden.