All 12 councillors were required to make an oath or affirmation of office for the first time on Tuesday night, to serve residents’ best interests and exercise the powers given to them through state legislation to the best of their ability and judgement.

Cr Kidd was the last to rise and took the opportunity to acknowledge his wife, Kerry, in the chamber. 

“I’ve been on council for 25 years and it’s the first time she’s been to a council meeting,” he said. 

“I will, as part of my oath, I promised her in three years’ time, we're retired, we’re travelling and chasing grandkids.”

For Cr Kidd’s oath, fast-forward to seven minutes:

It was not the first time Cr Kidd has said he would not re-contest an election, after telling the chamber in June he would not be running again at the September poll, but on Wednesday, he said it was a done deal.

“She runs the household with our children and grandchildren while I’m doing all this and without her support, this would never have happened,” he said.

Cr Kidd said a defined timeframe would drive him to achieve his objectives quicker.

“All the councillors have a hell of a job ahead of us to get all the grants we possibly can, because infrastructure still needs doing,” he said.

He said the Southern Feeder Road and greater housing support for domestic violence victims were on his radar, as well as building a more collaborative, regional relationship with Cabonne and Blayney councils on projects like the mountain bike centre at Mount Canobolas.

“This is for all of us, it’s not just Orange,” he said. 

“We want to make it a place people want to go for a whole range of activities.”