Five fresh faces have been elected to Melton’s newly structured council.
While four incumbents were re-elected for another four-year term, two councillors failed to make it across the line for a return to council.
The number of councillors in Melton has increased from seven to nine following a Victorian Electoral Commission review of electoral boundaries.
Renata Cugliari, who had been a Watts ward councillor for the past eight years, contested the Cambridge ward in this year’s election but did not win enough support to get back on council.
Myles Bentley, who had been elected to the Coburn ward last year after a councillor’s resignation, also failed to be re-elected.
Nola Dunn did not stand for re-election in Cambridge ward.
The new faces are Goran Kesic and Steven Abboushi for Cambridge ward; Melissa DeSantis and Ken Hardy for Coburn ward; and Michelle Mendes for Watts ward.
Incumbent councillors Kathy Majdlik, Sophie Ramsey, Bob Turner and Lara Carli have been returned to council with strong results.
Cr Majdlik will return to serve a third term on council after securing 6689 votes in the Cambridge ward – more than a third of the votes; Cr Ramsey polled 5799 votes; Cr Turner 3653; and Cr Carli 4342.
Cr Majdlik, who served as mayor for the past year, says she has no plans to put her hand up for the role this year, but has not ruled it out long-term.
“I’m very, very happy, I’m excited and I’m also very grateful and humbled that my residents put so much trust in me,” Cr Majdlik said.
“Obviously, they’re happy with what I’m doing and how I’m representing them.”
According to the Victorian Electoral Commission, there were fewer informal votes and a higher voter turnout in Melton this election than in the 2012 election.
In Moorabool, mayor Allan Comrie suffered a shock loss in the East Moorabool ward, despite securing the most first-preference votes (1667 at 15.52 per cent).
Tonia Dudzik, John Spain and newcomers John Keogh and Jarrod Bingham secured seats following preference distributions.
Cr Bingham, at 26, is the youngest councillor this term. He told Star Weekly he felt “grateful and privileged” for residents’ support.
Pat Toohey has been re-elected as Woodlands ward councillor. Tom Sullivan won West Moorabool ward unopposed.
Paul Tatchell, who was comfortably re-elected as a Central Moorabool ward councillor, says this will most likely be his last term on council.
The election results will be officially declared at the Melton council chambers at 10am on Friday, November 4, and Moorabool council chambers at 10am on Wednesday, November 2.
