Council to set lead for city’s new mayor

New Geelong Mayor John Mitchell has announced he will strive for consensus on council rather than impose his own “vision”.
But it could be a brief reign after the new council voted to maintain one-year mayoral terms rather than adopt optional two-year reins.
Cr Mitchell was elected mayor unopposed on Wednesday night.
He spelt out a platform of consensual leadership after his elevation to mayor.
“The press and some people out there always ask what vision has the mayor got for Geelong,” he said.
“My vision for Geelong will be what the vision of the council is.
“What their vision is, I will follow their lead.”
Cr Mitchell told a packed public gallery at City Hall that the common goal of all councillors should be to “represent the people of Geelong”.
“We all have a common goal; we all strive to do the best we can for the community,” he said.
“There’s no doubt that at times we will make mistakes but I’m sure that if we do make them we’ll own up to those mistakes.
Cr Rod Macdonald defeated Jan Farrell in a draw for deputy mayor after both councillors deadlocked for the job on six votes each.
New councillors wielded their power to push through a 7-5 vote to keep the status quo on mayoral terms.
Crs Bruce Harwood, Barbary Abley, Stretch Kontelj, Farrell and Mitchell argued that two-year mayoral terms gave council continuity, stability and confidence.
But first-time councillors Cameron Granger, John Duoll, Kylie Fisher and Andy Richards joined re-elected colleagues David Saunderson, Rod Mac-donald and Andrew Katos to ensure an annual vote for mayor.