Sutherland Shire Councillor Steve Simpson, has been elected to serve as Mayor, receiving the backing of his fellow Councillors in an open ballot conducted during yesterday evening’s regularly scheduled Council meeting.
Speaking after the results of the ballot were announced, newly elected Mayor Simpson said he was deeply honoured at the support he received in taking up the Mayoral role to work with Council over the next 12 months.
“It has been an incredible honour to serve the people of the Sutherland Shire as Councillor over the past 25 years, and I am humbled to have received the support of my colleagues to step up into this new role,” Mayor Simpson said.
“I’ve always appreciated how lucky I am to be part of such an amazing, vibrant and caring community and am passionate about preserving the unique character of this incredible part of the world.
“I have a deep appreciation of the challenges faced by our local business sector, but also the incredible resilience it has shown in overcoming these hurdles.
“Like communities throughout the state and across the globe, we face significant challenges in tackling the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and supporting our local residents and businesses through this trying period.
“I am extremely humbled to have the support of local residents and my fellow Councillors to lead them in championing the causes that matter to us here in the Sutherland Shire.
Mayor Simpson welcomed the election of Councillor Michael Forshaw as Deputy Mayor, saying he looked forward to serving alongside them to effectively advocate on behalf of local residents and businesses.
“Councillor Forshaw is a passionate advocate for our local community, and I look forward to working closely with them over the next 12 months,” Mayor Simpson said.
“Having served as a Councillor for 4 years, and having served as a Federal Senator for 17 years prior to that, Councillor Forshaw brings a great deal of passion and experience to the role, and I am incredibly fortunate to have him serving alongside me.”
The pair will serve as Mayor and Deputy Mayor until local residents return to the polls in September 2021, with local government elections having been postponed by a year as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
