The last mayor of Cootamundra Shire was Jim Slattery.[5]
Council
Composition and election method
Cootamundra Shire Council was composed of nine councillors elected proportionally to a single ward. All councillors were elected for a fixed four-year term of office. The mayor was elected by the councillors at the first meeting of the council. The last election was held on 8 September 2012, and the makeup of the council was as follows:[5]
A 2015 review of local government boundaries recommended that Cootamundra Shire merge with adjoining councils. The NSW Government considered two proposals. The first proposed a merger between the Cootamundra and Gundagai shires to form a new council with an area of 3,981 square kilometres (1,537 sq mi) and support a population of approximately 11,500.[6] The alternative, proposed by Harden Shire on 28 February 2016, was for an amalgamation of the Cootamundra, Gundagai and Harden shires.[7] The outcome of an independent review was announced in May 2016, with the result that Cootamundra merged with Gundagai Shire to form the Gundagai Council.[4]
After constant agitation from both Gundagai and Cootamundra communities, with particularly aggressive hostility from the Gundagai community, the Local Government minister, Wendy Tuckerman, determined that the council will be de-amalgamated. In September 2024 independent council elections will be held for Cootamundra and Gundagai.[8]