Catherine Cumming new mayor of Maribyrnong Council, with Sarah Carter as deputy
TWO women were elected for the top jobs by the new Maribyrnong council last night.
Long-serving Stony Creek ward councillor Catherine Cumming was nominated for mayor and elected unopposed and River Ward councillor Sarah Carter was selected as deputy mayor.
It was the second time Cr Cumming was picked to be mayor and she said at the special council meeting she was “really thankful”.
“I want to thank my fellow councillors for their confidence in my abilities for this role,” she said.
Cr Cumming last held the role from 2012 to 2013 as an independent.
The new mayor personally thanked each of the councillors and said she looked forward to working with them in a progressive council.
She said it was special to sit on a female-majority council and said it was a privilege to serve the community.
Cr Cumming said the councillors elected had “no hidden agendas”.
“We are here to build trust and to be collaborative and have effective communication with our community,” she said.
The independent councillor was re-elected with more than 35 per cent of first preference votes.
Deputy Mayor Sarah Carter, who is a Labor-backed councillor, won more than 19 per cent of first preference votes.
It is the first time in four years a Labor councillor has held a mayoral or deputy role on Maribyrnong Council.