WYNDHAM mayor Kim McAliney has been sensationally dumped from council, despite receiving a strong primary vote.
The two-time mayor and fellow councillors Cynthia Manson and Marcel Mahfoud failed in their bids for another term.
Ms McAliney polled the third-highest primary vote in Chaffey ward after Shane Bourke and John Gibbons, but was defeated when preferences were distributed.
Among six new faces on council are Gautam Gupta and John Gibbons in Chaffey ward, joining Cr Bourke and Marie Brittan, who was also re-elected.
Heather Marcus was returned in Iramoo ward, where she’ll be joined by newcomers Peter Gibbons and Peter Maynard.
In Harrison, Bob Fairclough and Glenn Goodfellow were returned with Adele Hegedich, who previously represented Chaffey ward, and businessman Intaj Khan.
Preferences helped lift Mr Khan over the line, after he received just 5.4 per cent of first preference votes.
Ratepayers will be represented by 11 councillors this year, following a boundary redistribution.
Five-time mayor Cr Bourke got 23 per cent of the primary vote and said he was delighted to be re-elected for a sixth term.
“I am really chuffed about it,” he said.
“It’s probably one of the most special council election wins given the number of candidates.
“I ran a low-key campaign . . . word of mouth and the support of my family and friends helped me get elected.”
Cr Goodfellow said he was looking forward to working with a new team of councillors.
Cr Fairclough, with Cr Bourke one of only two candidates to be elected on his primary vote, said: “I think we really have to engage people, adopt responsible financial management and bring the community into decisions on major funding for projects.”
Councillors will be sworn in on Monday, when a new mayor will also be elected.
