Minutes of Extraordinary Council Meeting - Tuesday, 14 October 2025

Minutes

MINUTES OF Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council
Extraordinary Council Meeting
HELD AT THE Alby Schultz Meeting Centre, Cootamundra
ON Tuesday, 14 October 2025 AT 6:01pm

PRESENT: Cr Abb McAlister (Mayor), Cr Rosalind Wight (Deputy Mayor), Cr Logan Collins, Cr Les Cooper, Cr Gil Kelly (online), Cr Penny Nicholson, Cr Ethan Ryan (online), Cr Danyal Syed

IN ATTENDANCE: Roger Bailey (Interim General Manager), Linda Wiles (Manager Business) (online),

1 Acknowledgement of Country

The Chairperson acknowledged the Wiradjuri people who are the Traditional Custodians of the Land at which the meeting was held and paid his respects to Elders, both past and present, of the Wiradjuri Nation and extended that respect to other Aboriginal people who were present.

2 Open Forum

Nil

3 Apologies and Leave of Absence

3.1 Apologies

Apology

Nil

It is noted that Cr Graham attempted to join the meeting remotely but was unable to do so.

3.2 Leave of Absence

Nil

4 Disclosures of Interest

Nil

5 General Manager’s Report

5.1 General Manager Office

5.1.1 Establishment of a Demerger Transition Committee

Motion

Moved: Cr Rosalind Wight

Seconded: Cr Penny Nicholson

That Council:

1. Note that resolution 157/2025, September 2025 ‘Establishment of a Demerger Transition Committee’ is considered unlawful.

2. Endorse the establishment of a Demerger Transition Committee pursuant to Section 355(c) of the Local Government Act 1993 (NSW).

3. Approve the draft Terms of Reference for the Committee.

4. Authorise the Demerger Transition Committee to make decisions necessary to achieve the orderly demerger of the Cootamundra Gundagai Regional Council and creation of the two new councils. Such decisions must be made via an absolute majority of Committee members present at the time of the meeting.

5. Appoint the Mayor (Cr McAlister) and Councillors Wight, Nicholson, Graham, Kelly, and Ryan to the Committee.

6. Authorise Councillors McAlister, Nicholson and Graham to select and appoint a resident of the proposed Gundagai local government area to the Committee.

7. Authorise Councillors Wight, Kelly and Ryan to select and appoint a resident of the proposed Cootamundra local government area to the Committee.

8. Note that, unless a vacancy occurs, there will be no alternate representatives appointed for councillors and community representatives.

9. Receive ongoing reports from the Committee at each Ordinary Council Meeting.

Amendment

Moved: Cr Gil Kelly

Seconded: Cr Ethan Ryan

That the meeting be deferred to allow further consideration of the proposal.

On being PUT the Motion was LOST

The Chairperson then put the ORIGINAL Motion, on being PUT the ORIGINAL Motion was LOST.

Resolution 186/2025

Moved: Cr Les Cooper

Seconded: Cr Logan Collins

That Council:

1. Note that resolution 157/2025, September 2025 ‘Establishment of a Demerger Transition Committee’ is considered unlawful.

2. Endorse the establishment of a Demerger Transition Committee pursuant to Section 355(c) of the Local Government Act 1993 (NSW).

3. Approve the draft Terms of Reference for the Committee subject to the following points being incorporated into the Terms.

· Clarification of matters listed in Section 377 of the NSW Local Government Act

· The role of the Committee is to make recommendations to the full Council for decision by the full Council

· Remove wording to an absolute majority

4. Appoint the Mayor (Cr McAlister) and Councillors Wight, Nicholson, Graham, Kelly, and Ryan to the Committee.

5. Receive ongoing reports from the Committee at each Ordinary Council Meeting.

Carried

The Meeting closed at 6.55pm.


CHAIRPERSON	GENERAL MANAGER