FORMER councillor Simon Brooks has been elected as the new Seawinds Ward councillor for the Mornington Peninsula Shire.
Brooks, who was previously a councillor for Seawinds Ward from 2016 to 2020, will be sworn in at the ordinary council meeting tonight (7 February 2023) and begin his official duties.
He will join deputy mayor Cr Debra Mar and Cr Antonella Celi representing the peninsula, including the townships of Safety Beach, Dromana, McCrae, Rosebud and Capel Sound.
The extraordinary vacancy occurred due to the resignation of Cr Kerri McCafferty on Monday 19 December 2022.
The computer countback was hosted by the Victorian Electoral Commission on Monday 30 January 2023. The vacancy was filled through a countback of all the votes from the October 2020 general election. Only candidates who were unsuccessful at the general election, and remained eligible, could be included.
The results of the countback can be found online at vec.vic.gov.au
Mayor Cr Steve Holland congratulated Brooks on his success, and welcomed him back to the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council.
“Simon brings plenty of experience to this role, having previously represented Seawinds Ward as a councillor for four years,” he said.
“I look forward to working with Simon to support the community and deliver on the services, programs, projects and events that matter to our residents and ratepayers.”
First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 8 February 2023
