Hilltops election postponed for three months

The Hilltops Council election has been postponed again. All NSW local government elections have been postponed until at least December 4, due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis in greater Sydney and other areas of the state.

The Young, Boorowa and Harden councils merged in 2016, with the first election in 2017.

Hilltops Mayor, Councillor Brian Ingram said the current council will continue to work together toward common goals, with the public’s health their number one focus.

“This was a decision made by the State Government in the best interests of the wellbeing and safety of all residents of NSW. I fully support their decision given the national emergency we are currently facing,” Mr Ingram said.

“The Council was elected by the people of Hilltops and part of being elected comes with an obligation to work toward achieving benefit for everyone across the entire Hilltops community.”

Whilst there haven’t ever been any COVID-19 scares in the Hilltops, the Mayor said the government has very sage advice.

A COVID-postive visitor to a Cootamundra private residence and lockdown in the Central West are examples of how unpredictable the Delta strain of this disease is.

Mayor Ingram said it’s better to be safe than sorry.

“While we have been very lucky that we haven’t been impacted to the same extent as the greater Sydney region, we must still do whatever we can to keep ourselves and our community safe,” he said. “Postponing the local government elections is a decision that has been made by the NSW Government for the safety of all residents and we need to respect that.”

He said the three-month postponement can be seen as a positive. “This postponement will allow the current Council to continue to work together until December,” he said.

“This postponement gives anyone considering candidacy more time to decide if it is the right decision for them.”

Nominations, which had been due to open on Monday, will instead be postponed until October 25.