Landholders urged to vote

A STRONG field of 28 candidates will stand for ratepayer election on the inaugural Northern Tablelands Local Land Services (LLS) board, which will service landholders in Tenterfield, Armidale, Glen Innes, Inverell and Walcha and surrounding districts.
Northern Tablelands LLS general manager Paul Hutchings welcomed the strong interest from local candidates nominating to represent LLS ratepayers (formerly LHPA ratepayers).
“There will be three ratepayer-elected board members on the Northern Tablelands LLS board, and it’s very pleasing to see the high calibre of candidates who have nominated for these positions,” stated Mr Hutchings.
The election closes Wednesday 12 March. Landholders who enrolled to vote in the upcoming local board elections will receive ballot papers in the mail very soon.
In 2014, the Northern Tablelands LLS took over the roles previously managed by the New England Livestock Health and Pest Authority, the Border Rivers-Gwydir CMA and Agriculture NSW in this region.
This was designed to streamline agriculture, biosecurity, natural resource management and emergency management services in a single customer-focused organisation.
The former New England Livestock Health and Pest Authority Board which previously managed travelling stock reserves, animal biosecurity and health services, pest control and other local land management issues, has been replaced by the Northern Tablelands LLS local board.
Landholders’ best chance to have a say on local land management is through the Northern Tablelands Local Land Services board elections, so if enrolled to vote (enrolments closed on 17 February) they will receive ballot papers in the mail.
Voting closes at 5pm on Wednesday, 12 March and election results will be announced on Friday, 14 March.