Labor councillor Donna Davis,who will be re-elected into Epping ward,said the results so far looked promising and was hoping for the eight spots needed to secure a majority across all wards.
“Obviously,it’s the third spots we’re not quite sure of across all wards,but I’m quietly confident in Epping that we might be able to get Cameron Maclean elected,which would be fantastic,” Cr Davis said,adding that,as a young man with a disability,Mr Maclean’s potential election would provide greater community representation on the council.
The Liberal Party state executive chose against endorsing candidates in Parramatta amid bitter factional warring,with Strathfield and Bayside among other Sydney municipalities subject to the same fate.
Meanwhile,in the Inner West,Labor and the Greens are vying for supremacy in all five wards,with controversial former Labor mayor Darcy Byrne and Greens candidate Kobi Shetty battling for the lead in Balmain-Baludarri ward and the broader composition of the council still in play.
The Greens’ Emma Heyde received a 43 per cent vote against Liberal mayor and former Howard-era minister Phillip Ruddock.
Ms Shetty told theHerald she thought the result so far reflected people’s concern for the environment and the community,however,“we have to wait and see how the cards fall.”
The Greens campaigned to de-merge the amalgamated council back to its original municipalities of Marrickville,Ashfield and Leichhardt. The votes for that separate poll have not yet been counted.