First declaration in new Qld council votes THE first official results in elections for four reformed Queensland councils have been declared. Noosa, Livingstone, Mareeba and Port Douglas voted in March to reform their old councils after forced amalgamations with larger councils five years ago. Noel Playford, who was mayor of Noosa before its forced marriage with the Sunshine Coast regional council, was declared as the new mayor on Monday after polling 78.5 per cent of votes. "I'm really proud to be part of this community, and I'm really proud there are so many people who are so determined to get back what they lost six years ago," he said in a video posted on Facebook. Official declarations for results for the other three mayors and council seats are expected to follow soon. In Port Douglas, Julia Leu looks likely to be officially declared mayor after polling 60 per cent of votes. The other two were a bit closer. Tom Gilmore scooped rival Mick Borzi by just 146 votes in Mareeba, near Cairns, according to the Electoral Commission of Queensland. In central Queensland, Bill Ludwig looks likely to be the new Livingstone mayor with 41 per cent of the vote. The smaller councils are due to take charge of local affairs on January 1.