Councillor’s Tony Wallace and Chris Manchester put their hands up for the role of deputy mayor with Cr Wallace elected to serve as the deputy.

Cr Ingram will serve as mayor for two years whilst some robust debate between the newly elected councillors decided Cr Wallace will serve a one-year term as deputy.

Cr Ingram said he is humbled by the honour and is looking forward to representing the interests of the entire Hilltops region. 

“To be elected as the first mayor of Hilltops Council is an honour and a privilege and I look forward to leading a united Council team as we embark on an exciting new chapter for the region,” he said. 

“I am excited about what this Council can do, it has 11 strong personalities, and all of them are dedicated to making sure this region grows and gets stronger.

“The first term of this Council is crucial we have been challenged and tasked with setting the foundation, and we will set the pathway that will take this region and make it stronger, we’ll consolidate what we have at the moment and then make it stronger and more vibrant so we can attract people to the region.

“Every local council in this region is chasing industry, and the Hilltops Council needs to be in front of the game, we need to be proactive, looking after what we’ve got but enticing more to come and join us.”

Cr Ingram said the new Council has a big agenda with a plan for the long-term and sustainable future of the Hilltops Council region top of the list.

“There’s certainly some projects underway that the new Council will have the opportunity to take carriage of and work with the community to deliver, including the development of a new ‘Community Strategic Plan’,” he said.

Cr Wallace said he was excited by the opportunity of moving the Council forward.

“We’ve got a good mayor who will lead us well, and I’ll be there to support him and all the councillors as deputy,” he said. “Now we need to get the results and benefits that will come from amalgamation. I’d like to see my role as a policy leader, setting the agenda somewhat and there is a lot of policy work this council will need to do after coming from three councils, I’d like to be at the forefront of achieving that.”