# New South Wales regional council leadership elections

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/new-south-wales-regional-council-leadership-elections
> Updated: 2026-09-24T19:45:00.000Z. Sources: 12. Developments: 3.

Regional councils in New South Wales are undergoing leadership transitions and elections. In the Liverpool Plains Shire Council, Charlie Simkin was elected mayor for a two-year term, replacing incumbent Ken Cudmore, while Jason Allan was elected unopposed as deputy mayor.

As the election period progressed, Narrabri Shire Council re-elected Darrell Tiemens as mayor and Brett Nolan as deputy mayor, both unopposed. Tiemens expressed a commitment to serving the entire shire, including its smaller towns and villages. In Gunnedah, the council held discussions regarding voting procedures for leadership positions, with Colleen Fuller identified as mayor.

Further elections throughout September saw Ben Fry elected mayor of Bathurst, succeeding incumbent Robert Taylor. In Blayney, Bruce Reynolds was re-elected unopposed as mayor, while John Newstead secured the deputy mayor position via a 4-3 ballot vote. In Cabonne, Jamie Jones and Kevin Beatty will serve another term as the mayor and deputy mayor duo.

Other regional leadership roles remain pending or recently decided in Dubbo, Mid-Western, Parkes, and Orange, where Tony Mileto holds the mayoral position following a public vote.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-24: Regional councils hold mayoral and deputy mayor elections

Regional councils in New South Wales have been holding mayoral and deputy mayor votes for the next two-year term, resulting in leadership changes in Bathurst, Blayney, and Cabonne.

5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/regional-councils-hold-mayoral-and-deputy-mayor-elections

### 2026-09-16: Narrabri and Gunnedah councils establish new leadership teams

Regional councils are forming new leadership teams, with Darrell Tiemens re-elected unopposed as mayor of Narrabri Shire Council and Brett Nolan as deputy mayor.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/narrabri-and-gunnedah-councils-establish-new-leadership-teams

### 2026-09-13: Regional councils undergo leadership elections in New South Wales

Regional councils in New South Wales are electing new leadership, with Charlie Simkin becoming mayor of Liverpool Plains and Bathurst preparing for a mayoral vote in September.

8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/regional-councils-undergo-leadership-elections-in-new-south-wales

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Cite as: New South Wales regional council leadership elections. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/new-south-wales-regional-council-leadership-elections