Curl Curl Ward councillor steps up from deputy
Long-serving councillor Sue Heins has taken over from Michael Regan as the first female mayor of the Northern Beaches Council. Mr Regan resigned on 4 May following his election as Wakehurst MP in March. Mr Regan has been the only mayor of the council since it formed in 2017 after the merger of Warringah, Pittwater and Manly councils. He was previously also Warringah’s mayor.
The vote for mayor on 16 May was not unanimous, with three councillors nominating for the position. Candy Bingham bowed out in the first round of voting to Sue Heins and the Liberal-backed David Walton, in a close contest of six votes to five. Ms Heins won the final vote by nine votes to six, with fellow Curl Curl councillor Mr Walton elected deputy mayor at a subsequent meeting, a position he will fill for 12 months.
Ms Heins said she was looking forward to collaborating with her fellow councillors and thanked Cr Regan for his 15 years of ‘devoted service’. “His commitment to the local community will go down in history and is something to be commended and appreciated,” she said.
Cr Regan said it had been a ‘real privilege and honour’ to serve the community as mayor.
“The recent years have been challenging, but we have worked together to serve our residents, guide them through the COVID-19 pandemic, and responsibly manage council’s budget.”
Ms Heins will oversee the $433 million budget, but only for four months, when her term runs out. Mayoral terms only last two years, with the last Local Government Elections in December 2021 delayed for three months by COVID-19.
Councillors will vote again for a mayor in September this year, and a new councillor will soon join to replace councillor Rory Amon, who has also resigned from council after becoming the member for Pittwater in the State Election. Mr Amon represented the Pittwater Ward on council for six years. The vacancy will be filled by a countback of the next candidate from the 2021 election with the highest votes. Mr Regan will continue his term until the next Local Government Elections in 2024.
Read more about Sue Heins in our Peninsula Person profile this edition.