Councillor Shaun Whitechurch moved at yesterday's council meeting that the supervised age be dropped following concerns that older teens could not attend without being joined by a parent or guardian.

"Children of 16 years of age are still going to go to the river, we're pushing them out from the pool centre because 16 I believe is a responsible age for a person to be able to go for a swim," Cr Whitechurch said.

Councillor Gail Law, who managed the Corowa municipal pool from 1975 to 1980, noted Wodonga's WAVES aquatic centre had a policy of those under-10 having to be accompanied by a person 16 or older.

"It's school holidays and mums don't want to be down there with their 16 year-olds having to watch them," Cr Law said.

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"People have got to be responsible for their own actions.

"If you don't think your 15 year-old is capable of being in the pool then you go down with him, I know it's not a baby-sitting service but we've got to be sensible about this."

The council's director development and environmental services Susan Appleyard said the change meant there would be a stricter policy on removing those acting inappropriately at the pool.

"We will probably ask that children that are unsupervised provide a phone number or some other form of contact for a parent or guardian," Ms Appleyard told councillors.

New councillors Aaron Nicholls and Sally Hughes voted against the motion after expressing concerns about legal risks.

The decision came at the first meeting of the fresh council which saw mayor Pat Bourke and deputy mayor Cr Whitechurch both re-elected to their positions.

Cr Bourke won a 6-3 vote against Cr Law, while Cr Whitechurch claimed a 5-4 win over Rowena Black.

Cr Law said after the meeting she had challenged Cr Bourke after being encouraged to do by community members and wanting to make council open.

"This is my fourth term (on council), I'm keen to take a further role and I think that I have the support of the public, I've been asked by many people to stand for mayor," she said.

Cr Bourke has been the only mayor of Federation since its creation in 2016.

He thanked family, especially his uncle and mentor Denis Smith, a long-serving Urana Shire councillor.

"We're all looking forward to the new term and doing...a lot of big and hopefully greater things and a lot of trimming too, to create a lot of new efficiencies in the council," he said.

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