“My recent suspension by the NCAT and my subsequent five year disqualification as a councillor, which in my opinion arose out of serious public corruption by public officials and others, will unfortunately take some time to bring about a Public Inquiry by the NSW Parliament and the ICAC,” Mr Ticehurst said. 

“Whilst I await those future public investigations, I have with much reluctance accepted that my vacant position as a councillor on the Lithgow City Council and that of newly elected and recently resigned councillor Geoff Cox are both required under legislation to be filled as soon as possible” the former deputy mayor said. 

Recent reports in Fairfax Media publications have claimed that the local State Member and former Minister for Local Government Paul Toole had nearly three years to implement “countback” regulations for previously held Local Council Elections, but failed to do so. 

Fairfax Media also claimed that Mr Toole had said that all councils would potentially benefit from this ‘countback’ proposal and the model would be based on the Victorian Countback System.

“My understanding is that if the Lithgow City Council was currently allowed to follow the Victorian Government’s Voting Countback Model, then following last year’s Lithgow City Council Election voting results, it would have confirmed another candidate from my previous Group A Team would be elected along with the election of another candidate from the previous Group E Team,” Mr Ticehurst said. 

“With this in mind, I am today seeking the bi-partisan support of all of the current Lithgow City Councillors, the Nationals, both Labor and Country Labor, previous and any future candidates, ratepayers and residents to consider and accept that both Group A and Group E in last year’s Lithgow City Council Elections should be allowed to solely re-nominate one of their previous Group Candidates and with total community bi-partisan support, be elected unopposed onto Lithgow City Council to fill the vacancies.”

“This possible bi-partisan scenario is an absolute Win-Win-Win for the Lithgow City Council and everyone else involved. 

“Intending By-Election Parties and Candidates would not have to once again spend many weeks and hours of their limited time campaigning, manning two weeks on Pre-Polling and multiple Election Day Booths and spending many more tens of thousands of dollars on election costs; the By-Election costs for the Lithgow City Council and it’s 11,000 plus ratepayers will be dramatically reduced from the projected $150,000 and best of all, there will be no inconvenience for the 15,000 Lithgow City Council electors who would have to go back to the Polling Booths to vote again,” Mr Ticehurst said.