Geoff Ellis has been elected as the new councillor for Western Port Ward on Bass Coast Shire, as the only eligible candidate remaining from the October 2020 general election.

Mr Ellis will be officially sworn in on August 14, prior to the next council meeting on August 16.

As reported in last week’s paper, Cr Bruce Kent a fortnight ago resigned his council position after almost seven years in the role, with former councillor Geoff Ellis predicted to take on the role.

The Victorian Electoral Commission last week confirmed Mr Ellis had filled the vacancy.

“The VEC invited Mr Ellis to declare he was still qualified to be a councillor in writing,” election manager Charmaine Morel said.

“As Mr Ellis returned the declaration within the required 14-day timeframe, he has been declared elected.”

If there are more vacancies in Western Port Ward – which includes Sunderland Bay, Surf Beach, Newhaven, Cape Woolamai, San Remo the Waterline and Bass hills - before the November 2024 general election, the VEC will be required to hold a by-election.

Mr Ellis was a councillor for four years prior to 2020 and said he was committed to issues including the environment, reconciliation, fair treatment of asylum seekers, inclusion of LGBTQIA+ community and engagement of less-abled community members.

He said he would push for more library services in the Waterline area, more coastal erosion protection and oversight of budgets to ensure “ratepayer money is not being squandered”.

“I’m very enthusiastic to get back on council,” Mr Ellis told the Advertiser.

“I’m sad for Bruce because it was such a big decision to make because the work/life balance is extraordinarily hard if you want to be a good councillor.”

According to the VEC website, former councillor Geoff Ellis placed fourth in the October 2020 council elections.

Cr Kent received 3428 first preference votes (31.5 per cent), followed by Cr Rochelle Halstead with 2872 votes (26 per cent). Cr Clare Le Serve had 22.8 per cent and Geoff Ellis sat at 2072 or 19 per cent.