Local Government NSW has warmly welcomed the organisation's newest Board members.
Cr Danielle Mulholland (Mayor of Kyogle Council), Cr Kenrick Winchester (Mayor of Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council) and Cr Sam Coupland (Mayor of Armidale Regional Council) were appointed as Rural/Regional Directors to the Board.
LGNSW Rural/Regional Vice-President Mayor Phyllis Miller OAM congratulated them and said she looked forward to the valuable contribution they will make to the sector.
"Serving on the LGNSW Board is a tremendous privilege, so I extend my sincere congratulations to our local government colleagues on their appointment," Mayor Miller said.
"The new Board members are all highly regarded mayors of their local communities and will bring new perspectives and fresh opportunities for collaboration that benefit councils throughout NSW.
"Local councils are at the forefront of their communities providing vital services, developing and maintaining community infrastructure, and striving to create wonderful cities and towns for their residents.
"LGNSW works extremely hard to support these councils in every corner of the state, whether they be rural, remote, regional, or metropolitan.
"I know all our Directors will continue to embrace the challenges facing the sector and will continue their success in advocating for all NSW councils."
Board vacancies arose after three LGNSW Directors did not contest the recent local government elections. Mayor Miller expressed her gratitude for the service of those outgoing Directors - former Mayor of Gunnedah Cr Jamie Chaffey, the former Mayor of Blayney, Cr Scott Ferguson, and Cr Cameron Walters (City of Wollongong).
"These three individuals were passionate advocates for our sector and their contributions around the board table were invaluable. I wish them all well on their future endeavours," Mayor Miller said.
The incoming Board Members bring a range of local government and board member experiences to the organisation:
- Cr Danielle Mulholland is the Mayor of Kyogle Council and has previously served as a Rural/Regional Director with LGNSW. She is a qualified lawyer and a former Board Member at AgForce Queensland and is a current Board Member at North Coast Local Land Services.
- Cr Kenrick Winchester is the Mayor of Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council. He has served as President of the Queanbeyan East P&C Association and a board member of the NSW P&C Federation. He has many years of experience in contract management working in Fleet Management and Relationship Management roles and has served as Vice-President of the Respite Care for QBN Foundation.
- Cr Sam Coupland is the Mayor of Armidale Regional Council and established the "Coalition of Renewable Energy Mayors" which has become a powerful advocate for communities impacted by the growth of renewable energy. He is as an Executive of the Country Mayors Association and has served on the board of Regional Cities NSW.
LGNSW is the peak body representing NSW local councils and associate members, including county councils, joint organisations, and regional organisations of councils.
Its role is to support, promote, advocate for and represent the local government sector so our members are in the best possible position to serve NSW communities.
This includes advocating to State and Federal Government on behalf of the NSW local government sector for funding, providing leadership on policy issues, empowering councils to deliver quality services to meet the needs of their local communities, and shaping the industrial environment in which the sector operates.
