Council's Chief Executive Officer received written notice from Councillor Noel Selby today resigning from his position as a Kempsey Shire councillor, effective immediately.
The resignation follows Council's consideration of a Code of Conduct investigation at its October meeting and a period of significant community concern about the matter. Council's resolution of 20 October 2026 remains on the public record.
Council has fulfilled its resolution to refer the matter to the Office of Local Government, while Councillor Selby's resignation fulfils Council's request that he resign from civic office.
Under the NSW Local Government Act 1993, the resignation creates a casual vacancy that will need to be filled through a by-election. The timeframe for filling the vacancy through a countback election ended in March 2026, and the vacancy falls outside the period in which Council can apply for the position to remain unfilled until the next ordinary local government election in September 2028. A by-election must be held on a Saturday no later than three months after the vacancy occurs.
Council acknowledges the distress this matter has caused in the community and reiterates that it does not condone violence in any form, including domestic and family violence.
