Campbelltown City Council sustainability officer Kelly Williamson has taken out the Louise Petchell Memorial category of this year’s Local Government Excellence in Environment awards.
The Petchell award is recognition for a council officer’s contribution to environmental improvement and sustainability.
Ms Williamson was acknowledged for her work in helping to transform Campbelltown City Council into a sustainability leader.
She was instrumental in the establishment of a whole of council sustainability committee that oversees council’s continued commitment to sustainability.
And Ms Williamson has been the driving force behind many of council’s sustainability policies, plans and projects.
She has played a key role in making sustainable practice an organisational priority.
Most recently, Ms Williamson drafted council’s first sustainability strategy.
This details commitment to sustainability and provides a framework to ensure environmental, financial, social and governance factors are considered equally.
Mayor of Campbelltown, Councillor Paul Hawker, congratulated Ms Williamson on her achievements and thanked her for the contribution she had made to council, and the positive outcomes that resulted for the local community.
[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]“Campbelltown City Council has moved from an organisation with a basic understanding of sustainability to a leader demonstrating best practice,” Cr Hawker said.[/social_quote]
“Our sustainability framework and systems are now the envy of many other councils.
“Sustainability is no longer seen as just an environmental issue. It is now a whole of council commitment that is considered in our decision making and planning processes,” Cr Hawker said.
Examples of the shift to a more sustainable practice include a new energy efficient air conditioning system and building management system at HJ Daley Library, which is saving energy and recording an average annual saving of more than $52,000; and the installation of solar pool heating systems on all of council’s leisure centres, resulting on an average annual saving of more than $69,000.
In addition, 770 solar panels installed on the civic centre and arts centre, are producing average annual saving of almost $38,000.
Solar hot water systems have been installed on 30 community facilities and child care centres, and the installation of an 85 kilowatt solar system at Greg Percival Library and Community Centre has also commenced, with an anticipated saving of almost $18,000 a year.
A dedicated Corporate Sustainability Fund, investing in efficiency initiatives and reinvesting resultant savings, has also been established.
The award taken out by Kelly Williamson last week is named in honour of Louise Petchell, sustainability manager at Penrith City Council, who passed away in 2009.
Ms Petchell was respected across local government as she was pivotal in the success of Penrith City Council’s environment programs.
For more information about Campbelltown Council’s sustainability programs, visit its website here.
