Pat Ryan defeats longtime mayor in tight Upper Hunter council vote
Pat Ryan won a narrow 5-4 council vote to become mayor of Upper Hunter Shire. This ended Maurice Collison's second term as mayor.
Maurice Collison's time as mayor of Upper Hunter Shire Council ended Monday evening. His deputy Pat Ryan won a close vote among councillors, 5-4.
Collison had served a second stint as mayor. He first became mayor in mid-2020 after Wayne Bedggood suddenly quit.
He was re-elected unopposed twice since then. Ryan got support from five councillors who backed his focus on renewable energy zones, agriculture, and road maintenance across the region.
Pat Ryan takes office for the next two years with new deputy mayor Peter McGill. McGill also won by 5-4 over his rival.
Collison's time as mayor included steering the council through COVID-19, extreme weather, and lobbying for regional infrastructure funding.
- 5-4 to Ryan
- Mayoral vote
- 5 councillors backed Ryan and McGill
- Council voting bloc
Why it mattersLeadership changes at regional councils can shift spending priorities. They affect how local councils push state and federal governments for rural funding.
AustraliaUpper Hunter residents may see different priorities under Ryan, especially around renewable energy development and infrastructure spending in NSW.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 2 h ago
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