Image Caption: Mayor, Dr Michelle Byrne and General Manager of The Hills Shire Council, Michael Edgar at the Swearing-In Ceremony on 3 October 2024.
The NSW Electoral Commission has officially confirmed the results of The Hills Shire's Mayoral election, declaring Dr Michelle Byrne as the popularly elected Mayor for the new term of Council.
A mother of three and proud longtime Hills resident, Mayor Byrne has been a dedicated representative of the community for many years.
First elected to The Hills Shire Council in 2008, she became the youngest Mayor in the Council's history at the age of 33 in 2012. In 2017, she made history again as the first popularly elected Mayor of The Hills Shire, and now returns for another term in office.
Mayor Byrne said she was grateful for the community's continued trust and support.
"I am deeply honoured by the overwhelming support received in the September election," Mayor Byrne said.
"Your confidence and trust in me are invaluable, and I am committed to working as hard as I can to ensure Council delivers for our community over the next four years.
"Our priority will be delivering essential infrastructure and facilities, such as parks and sports fields, and improving our local roads to support the rapid population growth particularly in The Hills' designated growth areas."
Looking ahead, Mayor Byrne is eager to work with both new and returning Councillors to achieve these goals.
"The new Council brings fresh perspectives and an unwavering dedication to serving our community. Together, we will focus on ensuring that The Hills receives the necessary infrastructure while preserving its unique, family-friendly, and semi-rural character in the northern parts of our region," she added.
Mayor Byrne also reiterated her commitment to advocating for better infrastructure and resisting overdevelopment.
"We will continue to make significant investments in our local facilities. We will also advocate for the NSW Government to take responsibility and fund more parks, sports fields, build more schools, and upgrade local roads to support the rapid population growth – something that they have enabled through their density policies such as the Transport Oriented Development and low to mid-rise housing."
"I am also determined to lead the fight against overdevelopment, protecting the region's family-friendly environment, and ensuring a supportive atmosphere for local businesses to flourish," Mayor Byrne added.
The new Mayor and Councillors were publicly sworn in during a special ceremony held at The Hills Shire Council's Norwest Business Chambers on 3 October.
The new Councillors include:
North Ward
Clr Mitchell Blue
Clr Jacob Jackson
Clr Mila Kasby
East Ward
Clr Samuel Uno
Clr Alan Haselden
Clr Jane Grevtseva
West Ward
Clr Frank De Masi
Clr Rosemarie Boneham
Clr Immanuel Selvaraj
Central Ward
Clr Reena Jethi
Clr Jerome Cox
Clr Tina Cartwright
The first Ordinary Meeting of Council is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, 8 October.
