Punarji Gunaratne was voted on to Benalla Council along with Peter Davis, Danny Claridge, Justin King, Bernie Hearn, Gail O'Brien and Don Firth.

"I'm really happy and really grateful for the people of Benalla," Cr Gunaratne said.

"I got 700 first preference votes and I'm really happy.

"I can't say much in words, but I'm really positive for the town.

"Being in a small country town some people thought I wouldn't get much support, but I was really fascinated with the support I got in the end."

He was motivated to run for council after being concerned at the council's spending.

"I felt like they needed some skills with accountancy and some transparency," Cr Gunaratne said.

Cr Gunaratne came to Australia in 2013 and has lived in Benalla for four years, with his wife Alice hailing from Violet Town.

Former mayor Cr King and Cr O'Brien, a registered nurse, are the other successful candidates to not have been on the previous council.

Cr King did serve on the Benalla Council from 2012 to 2016 before not contesting the poll that year after being exhausted by a term that saw him lead the rural city for two years.

"I've recharged, refreshed and have a new lens on my purpose in running and I'm looking forward to hitting the ground running," Cr King said.

The fresh perspective comes from him having become a father to children, aged two and seven months, in the past four years.

Cr King said he had no plans to stand for mayor for the next year but did not rule out a tilt at the top job at some point in the term.