Mayor's Message

23 October

NEW COUNCIL TERM

It was an honour to have been voted City of Ryde’s first popularly elected Mayor at the NSW Local Government Elections in September.

During the swearing-in ceremony held at Council’s 15 October Extraordinary Meeting, it was clear how impressive the new Council body is – including six new Councillors – with greater diversity on Council than ever before.

That diversity is reflected by different ages, cultural and religious background, and gender.

In particular, I’m pleased to say that we have ‘smashed the glass ceiling’ with half of the elected body of Councillors (six of 12) being women. I think this augers well for our Council being genuinely representative of our thriving and vibrant community.

Clr Sophie Lara-Watson was elected Deputy Mayor at that same meeting, and I know she will do a tremendous job during her 12-month term.

During this term, I’ll be focussing on a policy agenda of keeping Council rates low, preserving vital open space, and getting on with building critical infrastructure.

I’m looking forward to working collaboratively with all the Councillors on a range of policy challenges and securing the best outcomes for our wonderful community.

FESTIVAL SUCCESS

It was with great joy and pride that I joined the City of Ryde community last Saturday for the biggest annual event on Council’s calendar – the famous Granny Smith Festival.

A sea of happy faces – ranging in age from kids to grandparents – enjoyed the day-long festivities, which once again showcased the wonderful diversity of our harmonious and inclusive community and demonstrated our enduring love for this brilliant and unique community event.

There were a lot of great people who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make sure the 2024 Granny Smith Festival ran smoothly.

As such I thank all the community members, volunteers, performers, and Council staff involved. They made sure that it was another great success story for the City of Ryde.

SURVIVING CHALLENGES

To help acknowledge Mental Health Month, Ryde Library is hosting a special In Conversation With event from 6.15 - 8.00pm on Thursday 24 October featuring Craig Semple, author of Getting Back Up Again – a plan to get your head back in the game.

Written from the perspective of a man who refused to stay down, the book shines a light on strategies for navigating, surviving, and growing through life's challenges.

For more details, click here.

Sincerely, 
Clr Trenton Brown – Mayor