Wattle Range Mayor Des Noll (pictured) has expressed his disappointment with a vote of his council at its July monthly meeting in Millicent. After considering a 102-page staff report about its mandated elector representation review, the elected members gave their in-principle support to the status quo structure of council.

They want to maintain the structure of a mayor, eleven councillors and four wards which has existed since the council was formed in 1997. However, Mayor Noll has publicly advocated in a personal opinion expressed in The SE Voice that wards be abolished and instead Wattle Range Council have a mayor and only nine councillors.

After the vote, Mayor Noll commented that he respected the decision of the elected members. “It is a lost opportunity,” Mayor Noll said. Further community feedback is now being sought by council.