News from the Chamber from the Acting Mayor, Nathan Daniell

The supplementary elections were finalised this month, bringing fresh voices to our chamber. Congratulations and a warm welcome to Lisa Woolcock in the Ranges Ward, and to Richard Gladigau and Alex Trescowthick, in the Valleys Ward. I look forward to learning about the passions and ideas they will bring to the chamber. 

I thank all residents who voted to elect their newest representatives. I would also like to acknowledge the resignation of former Mayor Jan-Claire Wisdom and thank her for her valued contribution to this organisation and the wider community.

Although the agendas were lighter this month, several key decisions were made by the chamber. Council gave in-principle support to the Santos Tour Down Under for the next five years, an important event that showcases our Hills community. 

We also endorsed the Save Our Wildlife Foundation’s efforts to seek expressions of interest from groups interested in supporting their activities. 

We have appointed a new independent member to the CEO Performance Review Panel. The new member is highly qualified and will bring a wealth of knowledge and skills to this important role. 

Council decided to defer consideration of the Waste and Resource Recovery Services Policy until after the FOGO trial concludes to ensure any updates align with our long-term vision of reducing waste to landfill. 

Finally, earlier this month we noted the preliminary End of Financial Year position. While the result was better than expected, it was significantly influenced by one-off items, including Federal Assistance and Local Roads grant funding and savings from staff vacancies, partially offset by higher depreciation costs.