Several councillors have been returned, including mayor David West, deputy mayor Claire Pontin, Peter Epov, Kathryn Bell, Katheryn Smith and Troy Fowler. New faces on the team are Alan Tickle, who served as councillor on Greater Taree City Council, Jeremy Miller, Paul Sandilands, Peter Howard and Greens candidate Dheera Smith.

MidCoast Council's new councillors will meet for the first time on January 12, 2022

"I hope the elected body will realise the community needs to be driving the direction and not simply be led along. What is the impact of our decisions in 10, 15, 20 years time? That is what we need to be thinking.

"If you have community committees that are 'top down' with council, it won't work."

"The same goes for economic development. Where economic development has been successful in the past is when there is drive from the business community.

"So, if you have those community stakeholders driving the improvement of sustainability in an area, it also improves council's capacity."

"I am certainly humbled by the support.

"I went with a campaign of fresh team, fresh voices, fresh ideas, and people seemed to respond to that positivity which was really nice.

"Now we need to spend the next few years living up to that promise."

"I take the responsibility of their votes very seriously so now I have to live up to that show of faith."

"There is a lot of possibilities for us in the MidCoast region. I have a background in event management, in sporting events, tourism - so clearly I have a strong background in culture, but I also have a strong background in management."

"People are looking forward to a council that is going to be in charge and control. I think the people should have a choice on whether they want to have a mayor elected by the public or by the councillors.

"The important thing is that the public expressed the view that they wanted reform and change. I think for too long the community has been neglected."

"I feel good. It is something I am very happy to do in terms of this is my home.

"I am happy to be involved in trying to help and look after my home.

"The last two lines in nearly everything I said in the election was 'to have a council where the people who work for council were proud to say they work for council, and that the people in the community were proud to say that that was their council. It is really simple."

"It is a big job ahead. We are standing for the Greens and hoping other councillors will want to come along with us.

"We are hoping the council will now fund the climate change codes that they put in place last year. They have to fund that.

"We are really concerned about new developments that don't charge the developers for infrastructure and habitat damage.

"Affordable housing has got to be put in front of the council and it can't be in the 'too hard' basket."

"I have mixed feelings about returning to council. It is always mixed feelings."

"I am really honored and privileged to be reelected and represent the community. But I feel sad for the large areas that have no councillors represent them.

"I am the only councillor west of the Pacific Highway, there is no councillors south of Forster-Tuncurry, and there is no councillors who reside above Cundletown, so it is going to be really important to make sure those areas don't feel left behind or forgotten.

"A couple of the other candidates and myself have spoken and we will be more mindful about trying to get out to those areas.

"This term is really exciting because it is more about implementation. The previous council got a lot of programs completed in strategic planning, and now it is all about getting funding for those projects."

"I am looking forward to getting back to the job and getting some things done.

"The issue here is that we only have a very short term, so the councillors need to learn to work together very quickly, and very quickly work out what the priorities are.

"We have got to really start hard and fast so we can actually get things done in the two and a half years."

"I am pumped and ready to go. We finished off harmonising the three councils as well as the (MidCoast) Water so now it is time to get on with the job.

"I am very excited to see the initiatives and the things that come out of council over the next three to four years."

"I am very pleased and honored to be elected again. I hope and trust that it is indicative of recognising hard work over the years.

"I hope that when we (the councillors) come together and work collegiately for our community.

"I hope and trust that other councillors are of the same mind and from campaign platforms I think that might be more of the case than it has been in previous councils.

"Admittedly, COVID has been a massive hurdle for some components of consolation, but I believe council can do that a whole lot better."

"I was amazed to think there was some consideration in the community to allow two (of our Liberal Party group) to get across the line.

"I am also very pleased to think that, moving forward, it may hose down some of the angst that has been raised in the community, because some of those people who raised that angst will find that what they've been saying has no vacuous in fact.

"One of the things that needs to be said, is that council no longer does its own auditing, now it is in the hands of the State government and that is critical. Very few people are aware of that, they always thought we were doing our own auditing.

"MidCoast Council is one of the most successful amalgamated councils in the State. The decisions it has made in the last four years are going to return money to the community they never had.

"I genuinely believe that at the end of this term, you will see a community that is advised of the facts and the community will be able to gather strength from what the council will and has achieved."

"I am thankful and honoured to be elected.

"I would like to see council meetings moved to evenings so more people can attend.

"I would like to see the dog wagging the tail, rather than the tail wagging the dog. I believe council has become the management running the councillors, as opposed to the councillors running the management.

"I think there is some personality issues between some councillors, however I think there is an opportunity there with the turnover of councillors to form a working collective. I have no aspirations to stand for mayor, I would like to observe from the 'cheap seats' for want of a better phrase, for a while, but I support councillor Peter Epov for mayor."

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