By Jeremy Sollars
Ross Bartley says he is both surprised and gratified with the strong showing of support he has received in the councillor ballot for the 2020 Southern Downs Regional Council election.
Bartley led the councillor count from the start of counting on election night – Saturday 28 March – and while still awaiting the formal declaration of the councillor result by the Electoral Commission the former deputy mayor is champing at the bit to take office.
Expected to finish with a total of around 9500 votes Bartley’s share of the count is just under six per cent of the overall tally, well ahead of the 25 other candidates.
Having stood for the mayoralty unsuccessfully in 2016 he happily went back to the family farming operation at The Hermitage east of Warwick but was encouraged by many locals to re-enter council politics in 2020, having previously sworn off a return.
Bartley’s political comeback is seen by local council observers as a significant step towards greater transparency in council business, which he says has been lacking in the last term, and is the key reason he chose to run for councillor in 2020.
“The people own the council, not the other way around,” Bartley told the Free Times today, Tuesday 7 April.
“I think the election result shows the ‘silent majority’ of people in the region have spoken and they want positive change.
“At election time the power is put into the hands of the people – they are judge and jury when it comes to who they want on council.
“They want a return to robust debate in the council chamber – and there has been a lack of openness in decision-making in the last term.
“I am dead against the use of confidential briefing sessions for councillors that aren’t open to the public – I’d like to see a return to the previous committee system and that’s something I’ll be putting on the table.
“My number one priority is transparency – we need to open the doors to the way decisions are made.
“We need to open the place up.”
When the first meeting of the new council is held – which may be this Thursday 9 April, or possibly next Tuesday following the Easter break and depending on when the councillor declaration is made by the ECQ – its first task will be to choose a deputy mayor from among the ranks of the councillors.
Bartley is keen to be considered – again – for that role but will need to be nominated and seconded and gain a majority.
It is understood both 2016-2020 term deputy mayor Jo McNally and Stanthorpe councillor Cameron Gow – who appear set to finish the councillor race third and second respectively behind Ross Bartley – are also eyeing off the deputy mayor role, but would likewise need to secure the support of a majority of their colleagues.
Mayor-elect Vic Pennisi, himself a Stanthorpe resident, has previously said he would prefer the deputy mayor to be a Warwick-based councillor.
The deputy’s position – which carries extra remuneration on top of the standard councillor salary – does not automatically go to the councillor candidate who polled the highest in the election.
“I didn’t expect the level of support I’ve received in the ballot but I’m just very thankful for the level of confidence people have expressed in me,” Bartley told the Free Times.
“Now it’s up to me to deliver.
“It looks like we’ll have a good mix of councillors – there’s set to be both previous councillors, including myself, and some new people.
“Everyone will bring their own strengths and attributes and life experience to the table and it’ll be up to all of us to put those abilities collectively to the best use.”
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