COUNCILLOR Darren Cameron wants wards in Albury Council, as he believes Thurgoona and Lavington suffer under the existing structure.
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The Labor candidate listed the introduction of wards as one of five priorities for his bid for re-election at December's municipal election.
"Wards provide for a high level of accountability in that people in a particular part of the community know who their councillors are and who they can elect and unelect," he said.
"For areas like Thurgoona or Lavington that have particular needs it's a good system and it keeps democracy strong."
Cr Cameron hails from Lavington and two of his election team live in Thurgoona.
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He declined to map his ward boundaries, but noted they would have to be approved in a poll of ratepayers.
Other priorities for the Labor team are keeping rates at or below inflation, returning a kerbside waste collection, providing clearer statements on council spending and "defending the Lavington pool from those planning to close it".
Cr Cameron says he's concerned rival candidate and former mayor Stuart Baker has questioned the future of the Lavington pool and raised the prospect of council funding a year-round aquatic centre.
He said that possibility was "utterly chilling" given the council had gone into deficit due to COVID and depreciation.
Another election candidate Daryl Betteridge said he believed the next council should review its aquatics plan and consider a pool for Thurgoona.
"The aquatics strategy let's look at that again and come up with a plan because Thurgoona is a growth area and its ratepayers are deserving of infrastructure," Mr Betteridge said.
He added he would have an "aquatics facility" in his top ten priorities for the Albury-Wodonga Regional Deal.
Another election hopeful Ross Hamilton said it would be wrong for Albury Council to solely fund a year-round pools hub.
"That would cost at least $60 million to construct and would definitely need input from state or federal governments," he said.
"We can't pretend there's such a thing as council money, there's only ratepayers' money."
Mr Hamilton added careful thought needed to be given to closing Lavington pool.
Meanwhile on Thursday, Mr Betteridge's group has drawn top place on the ballot paper for the poll ahead of Cr Cameron and Mr Hamilton's teams.
They are followed by teams helmed by 2AY announcer Kylie King, urban designer Andrew Boyd Barber and Greens member Ashley Edwards.
Next are the squads of former mayor Alice Glachan, Mr Baker and then incumbent councillors Henk van de Ven and David Thurley.
Mr Betteridge took some heart from securing the No.1 spot.
"People read it from left to right so does that make a difference?" he said.
"I think it's a minor advantage."
Cr van de Ven has complained to the NSW Electoral Commission over a rule banning distribution of how-to-vote material within 100 metres of voting stations.
He argues it favours those with big budgets that can afford to advertise in other ways and it is "out of sync" with rules being lifted as part of the state opening up from COVID restrictions.
"I implore you to change these rules before it is too late," his letter of complaint states.
