Flood recovery funding will remain the major focus of newly-elected MidCoast mayor Alan Tickle, who took the top job in a six-five vote last week over outgoing mayor Claire Pontin.
In particular, Tickle is focused on securing funding for damage from the May 2025 flood not covered by disaster recovery grants.
“There's $65 million dollars worth of damage to infrastructure that's not transport related. Things such as parks, gardens, or the River Stage at Taree,” Tickle told the Mid North Coaster.
“Areas of Wingham had massive damage - that's unfunded. And there's a further $8 million worth of damage to water infrastructure, also unfunded by grants.”
Who is he?: The son of a lay preacher, Tickle grew up on a Dungog dairy farm before entering into banking and finance roles across regional NSW.
He originally moved to the Manning Valley in 1977.
Tickle was first elected as a councillor to the former Greater Taree City Council in 2004, serving until the council’s amalgamation to MidCoast Council in 2016, including two spells as deputy mayor.
He was then re-elected as a MidCoast councillor and deputy mayor in 2021, but was unsuccessful in his attempt to be elected mayor in 2024.
Steering the ship: Rather than attempt to introduce a new direction under his leadership, Tickle said policy would be guided by collaboration.
“While the mayor may have an opinion, at the end of the day it's up to the whole of the council, with input from the senior staff, to set policy decisions,” he said.
“The mayor alone can't change policy direction. We rely on the community to give us feedback, which will formulate the strategy and the thinking for council direction.”
Tickle said he would be “chasing a few more guest speaking engagements” with community groups, in order to receive feedback and provide updates on council activities.
Flood recovery continues: Tickle said the region’s recovery from the May 2025 flood - which caused an estimated $330 million worth of damage - will remain the immediate focus.
He vowed to “continue very strongly in terms of advocacy”, noting the MidCoast was often competing with other councils for a limited pool of funds.
The process: MidCoast councillors take a vote every two years to select a mayor.
First elected to council in 2017, the outgoing Pontin served as deputy mayor from 2019-21 before becoming mayor in 2022.
At the vote on September 30, councillors Pontin, Miller, Howard, Irving and Wilson backed Pontin, while councillors Tickle, Turnbull, O'Keefe, Beazley, McKenzie and Graham voted in support of Tickle.
Job well done: Pontin will remain a councillor.
Council general manager Adrian Panuccio said she had “led Council through some incredibly challenging periods for our region, while always advocating strongly for the needs of the MidCoast community”.
Miller pulls out: Initially a three horse race for the leadership, councillor Jeremy Miller pulled out minutes before the vote.
Miller questioned why councillors would seek to remove Pontin from her role, given her successful advocacy for flood recovery funding and relationships with state and federal governments.
“It seems very strange to me to reward that success by firing the mayor,” said.
“For me, I think the world doesn't need another ambitious man tearing down an effective woman who's doing a good job.”
Miller, who has been deputy mayor since 2024, retains the position.