The first popularly elected mayor of Wollondilly, Matt Gould, says he will focus on protecting the semi rural lifestyle of the Shire.
At the same time, he wants to fight for Wollondilly’s fair share of infrastructure funding.
“I am looking forward to working with the newly formed council, including some new faces who I’m sure will bring some fresh ideas to the table, and some returning councillors who I know are strongly committed to the wellbeing of this community,’’ said the father of three who took the oath of office a few days before Christmas.
“I will be working hand in hand with councillors and council staff to make sure Wollondilly gets the infrastructure it needs as we manage the growth challenges ahead, while protecting the unique village character and semi-rural lifestyle that we all love about the Shire.”
Mr Gould is a lifelong resident of Warragamba and Silverdale who has been on the council since 2016. He served as deputy mayor from December 2018 to September 2020.
The 36 year old unmanned aerial vehicle pilot is a member of the Silverdale Rural Fire Brigade and has been involved in many local committees, groups and initiatives.
Mr Gould thanked the community for their generous support during what he has called a grass roots election campaign, which saw him overwhelmingly backed by residents in north ward.
“I am humbled by the level of support I have received from the community and don’t take it lightly.
“I am excited to be taking on the role of mayor for the next term of council and I am really looking forward to getting to work as soon as possible and being a mayor for the entire Shire.
“It has been an honour to serve my community as councillor and deputy mayor during the past term, which was significantly impacted by bushfires, floods and Covid-19 lockdowns and ultimately delayed the election by about 15 months.
“I am very proud of what we achieved during such a challenging time for Wollondilly.’’
Council CEO Ben Taylor has welcomed the newly elected mayor, with whom he is pictured above.
“I look forward to working together with the mayor and councillors to build on our great foundations to create a high performing organisation for our rapidly growing Shire, delivering even more positive outcomes for the community,” he said.
The new mayor and councillors will be publicly sworn in at a live-streamed meeting on January 18.
The first ordinary meeting of council is scheduled for February 22.
