Clarence Valley Councillor Bryant Resigns During Council Meeting

Clarence Valley Councillor Bryant, formerly known as Councillor Whaites, has resigned from Clarence Valley Council, verbally lodging her resignation during yesterday’s ordinary council meeting.

The resignation was announced after council returned from confidential session, with Councillor Bryant advising the chamber of her decision. At the time of publication, Clarence Valley Council has not released a public statement confirming the resignation or outlining the reasons behind it.

Clarence Valley Community Information has contacted Clarence Valley Council seeking a formal statement and further clarification. No response has been received at the time of publication.

It is understood the resignation may relate to councillor eligibility requirements, specifically residency. However, this has not been formally confirmed by council.

Under the NSW Local Government Act 1993, councillors are required to meet eligibility criteria not only at the time of election, but for the entire duration of their term. This includes maintaining residence within the local government area, or the ward if elected by ward. If a councillor no longer meets these requirements, they may be disqualified from holding office, or the position may otherwise become vacant.

The legislation makes it clear that residency is an ongoing requirement, not a one time condition. Where a councillor changes their principal place of residence outside the required area, they may no longer be eligible to serve unless an exemption applies under the Act.

Clarence Valley Council has not confirmed whether Councillor Bryant’s resignation was voluntary or connected to a potential eligibility issue. Council is expected to seek, or may already have sought, advice from the NSW Office of Local Government to ensure the resignation and any subsequent steps comply with legislative requirements.

Once a resignation is formally received and accepted, council must move to fill the vacancy. In most cases, this occurs through a countback of the most recent local government election, allowing the next eligible candidate to be offered the position. If a countback is not possible or declined, the matter may proceed to a by election, subject to statutory timeframes and cost considerations.

Until the vacancy is resolved, the resignation reduces the number of sitting councillors and may impact voting numbers at future council meetings.

Further information is expected once Clarence Valley Council issues a formal statement or advice is received from the Office of Local Government.

This article will be updated as more information becomes available.