SHELLHARBOUR councillor Marianne Saliba has been returned as City's mayor thanks to the return of fellow Labor councillor John Murray from holiday.
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Cr Murray's early return from a South Pacific cruise meant an otherwise intriguing mayoral election went predictably along party lines.
There were two nominations for the top job - Crs Marianne Saliba and Peter Moran.
At 10.50pm Cr Saliba was draped with the official mayoral chains for the third consecutive year.
Crs John Murray, Paul Rankin, Marianne Saliba and David Boyle voted for Cr Saliba.
Crs Peter Moran, Kellie Marsh and Helen Stewart voted for Cr Moran.
Cr Saliba said she wasn't surprised there was another nomination and was pleased with the result.
"I am grateful the majority of councillors appreciate my contribution to the city and recognise my capacity to carry it out," she said.
However, Cr Saliba said the annual election caused disruption among councillors.
"Holding an election every 12 months creates some angst among councillors," she said.
Cr Peter Moran said anyone could have been nominated for the position and it would have had the same result.
"It really shows the divide in this council which is well and truly there," he said.
Councillors Paul Rankin and Helen Stewart nominated for deputy mayor. Cr Rankin was re-elected to the role with same winning four votes as the mayor.
Cr Moran said Cr Boyle had backed out of a verbal agreement with himself, Cr Stewart and Cr Marsh that he would vote for Cr Stewart for the role of deputy mayor.
The election was held after a 45-minute controversial confidential meeting on the planned Shellharbour City Hub - from which the public were excluded.
Crs Marsh, Stewart and Moran expressed deep dissatisfaction with the confidential meeting, complaining the mayor had rushed the meeting to try and stop the election from being delayed.
Member for Shellharbour Anna Watson, a critic of the current laws which only allow the Mayor to be chosen by Shellharbour City Councillor has again called on the State Government to change laws allowing the public to directly elect the mayor.
“The NSW Liberal Party took away the people’s right to directly elect the Mayor by passing the Local Government (Shellharbour and Wollongong Elections) Act 2011.
“The NSW Liberals thought that by changing the method of electing the Mayor, it would ensure a Liberal held the position.
“The NSW Liberals tried to gerrymander the voting system to favour their own candidates.
“It’s time the new Minister for Local Government took action and amended the current law giving back to the people of Shellharbour City the right to directly elect their Mayor”, Ms Watson said.
RELATED: Shellhabour City Hub Concerns raised at meeting.