Central ward councillor Geoff Dingle will seek election as mayor but will walk away from Port Stephens Council if he doesn’t win the popular vote.
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While he has nominated as an Independent in the mayoral contest he has not sought re-election to the central ward.
“There’s a couple of good reasons, I’ve had 13 and a half years as a councillor, so I know the ropes and how it works,” he said.
“But the most important reason is to open the doors to some new talent.
“If I get the mayor’s role, it will be fantastic and if I don’t I’ll go off and enjoy life, play with the grandchildren and landscape my new house.”
Cr Dingle refuted that it might be seen as a case of “my way or the high way”.
“I’m not doing it for me, I’m standing for the community, that’s what’s motivating me,” he said.
Cr Dingle was narrowly beaten for the top job in 2012.
But he was not surprised the Mayor Bruce MacKenzie won’t stand again.
“When people asked me, I said I didn’t think he would run,” Cr Dingle said.
“I thought he would struggle to get up again. He likes to be a winner but not a loser.”
Cr Dingle said he wished to restore trust and respect to the council if elected as mayor.
He believes the community’s lost confidence in the council due to a lack consultation and communication.
“There are many ways in which the community and council can redress the current lack of transparency by allowing residents a better say in what infrastructure and works are most essential in our community, how we can get better value for our limited resources, and by opening up council meetings to the community, and reinstating webcasting,” he said.
His first act if elected would be to unite the councillors and council staff.
“The first important thing would be to meet with council staff to develop better community consultation,” he said.
“In the past nine years there has been no real consultation.”
Cr Dingle has lived in Medowie for 38 years with his wife Libby.
The couple is passionate volunteering and believe there is “no better reward in life than to freely volunteer in support of the community”.
Cr Dingle is a past member of the Hunter Regional Botanic Garden Board, a member of the Hunter New England Health Advisory Panel, Chair of the Koala Plan of Management Committee and a member of Medowie Sports Council and Community Centre Committees in Medowie, Williamtown and Fern bay.
