For one thing, all of the councillors’ seats were empty.

Instead, administrator Ian Reynolds held centre stage, presiding over the first meeting of the newly merged Central Coast Council at Wyong last night.

Councillors will remain absent from the meetings until the local government elections in September next year.

The former Wyong and Gosford councillors were effectively sacked this month as part of the state government’s reform agenda.

There was always going to be plenty of interest in last night’s meeting, so it was no surprise to see the public gallery full, with standing room only.

But unlike the ugly scenes encountered in Sydney this week when the administrator appointed to oversee the newly formed Inner West Council was spat on, jostled and heckled, the mood at Wyong was different.

Coastal Residents Incorporated spokesperson Pat Aiken said it was all very civilised.

“The first meeting of the Central Coast Council was friendly, open, quiet and very efficient,” he told Central Coast ABC Radio.

He noted that residents who spoke to oppose the council’s sale of land at Kangy Angy to the state government for a rail facility were afforded “five minutes plus” to state their case, but would have been shut down after three minutes under the former Gosford Council’s rules.

Administrator Ian Reynolds also made a good first impression.

“The administrator seems to be intent on strong community involvement and efficiently running meetings,” Mr Aiken said.

“It started at 5pm and ended at 5.35pm. Makes you wonder what we get by having councillors.”