At Wednesday night's council meeting, Steve Goodyer was appointed the new deputy mayor.

Cr Yelds’ resignation follows Bombala Shire Council’s extraordinary meeting of council that voted for Bombala Shire Council to merge with Cooma-Monaro and Snowy River Shire Councils.

Mayor Bob Stewart said that Mr Yelds was in favour for the merger with Bega Valley Shire Council.

“I was originally in favour of the merger, but changed my mind after the conditions of the merger were put forward,” Cr Stewart said.

“It was just the way the motion was put forward that they objected to.

“Our submission was that our first preference was to stand alone, but if the government was forcing a merger, our preference was to go with Snowy River and Monaro Shire Councils.

Mr Stewart went on to say that they still had a lot of work ahead of them.

“I haven’t met with the other mayors yet, but we will be getting a transition group going shortly.

“One of the conditions about the merger was that Bombala get a third of the $10million allocated for the merger.

“I also proposed that in the first term, the council will be decentralised in the existing offices and that we meet alternately at the different offices so the communities can still feel part of council,” he said.

He went on to say that a condition of the merger would be that the state government would make a commitment for funding for underwriting the Bombala sewerage scheme and the secured money in Bombala’s unrestricted reserves remain within Bombala.

Following Cr Yelds’ resignation, Bombala councillors voted for a new deputy mayor.

Crs Sue Haslingden, Dianne Hampshire and Steve Goodyer were part of the three-way vote for deputy mayor.

Cr Goodyer, a former deputy mayor of Bombala, was elected to the position.