Cr Smith, from the Gosford East ward, and Cr Holstein, from the Gosford West ward, were elected to the top jobs by the 15-member council at a packed meeting at the Wyong chambers.

There were initially four candidates for mayor, with the final count coming down to a two-way contest between Cr Smith and Labor’s Doug Vincent, a Budgewoi ward councillor.

Independent Greg Best (Budgewoi ward) successfully moved a motion for an open vote for mayor.

Cr Smith told ABC Radio Central Coast that it was an important motion.

“Many of the councillors – including myself – ran on the basis of greater transparency and openness, so I think that open vote sets a really good tone for the council,” Cr Smith said.

The new council and the mayor, in particular, face a big job overseeing a local government area that now stretches from Gwandalan to Patonga, and is home to 300,000 people.

“It is a big task and I come to it with a set of skills that I think will carry me well,” Cr Smith said.

“But I’m not doing it alone. I have 14 other councillors with a broad range of skills and I’m very optimistic that we will work well as a team.

“We will listen to the community and together we will deliver better roads, footpaths, drainage, recreational facilities and protect our waterways – this is our contract with the community.”

Cr Smith, a school teacher, is a first-time councillor but has been an avid council watcher for 20 years. She regularly attended meetings of the former Gosford and Wyong councils.