April 12, 2016
Toowoomba Regional Council held its statutory post-election meeting on Tuesday, swearing in its 2016-2020 Councillors and appointing Cr Carol Taylor as Deputy Mayor.
The meeting also allocated portfolio responsibilities to incoming Councillors.
Mayor Paul Antonio will head a new Economic Development standing committee to focus on key projects, including the Melbourne to Brisbane inland rail project and Toowoomba Enterprise Hub.
Cr Carol Taylor will return as chair of the Infrastructure Committee, assisted by new Councillor James O’Shea.
Cr Chris Tait has been elevated to the chair of the Planning and Development Committee, assisted by Cr Anne Glasheen.
Cr Nancy Sommerfield also has been elevated to chair the Water and Waste Committee, and will be assisted by Cr Bill Cahill.
Cr Geoff McDonald will return as chair of the Environment and Community Committee, while Cr Mike Williams will retain the chair of the Finance and Business Strategy Committee.
New Councillor Megan O’Hara Sullivan has been allocated Finance and Business Strategy assisting Cr Williams, while Cr Joe Ramia will assist Cr McDonald in the Environment and Community portfolio.
Mayor Antonio said the community had rewarded sitting Councillors by returning all seven who stood back into office, and he had based his portfolio allocations on the experience and performance the team had shown in the previous term.
“The people of this region have endorsed the work and direction of this Council by voting all of the previous Councillors back into office,” Mayor Antonio said.
“I, too, am endorsing that work by keeping many of the portfolios the same.”
The Mayor said his ambition this term was to build on the momentum of the previous four years and engage with the region’s communities about the legacy they are leaving for future generations.
“I believe last term’s move to a portfolio system with a Councillor Chair for each committee was effective,” Mayor Antonio said.
“This model shared the workload, responsibility and ownership of decisions among the elected Council and allowed for cohesive cooperation between Councillors and the Executive of the organisation. Therefore, I propose to largely retain this model with some improvements.”
Mayor Antonio said further refinement of Councillor portfolios would be made once discussions between Councillors and relevant General Managers takes place about coming workloads.
The largest change will be the creation of the new Economic Development Committee.
“It has been my experience, dealing with investors in the past term, that, particularly in international contexts, the office of the Mayor brings significant weight to discussions and has the potential to positively influence outcomes,” Mayor Antonio said.
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