MEDIA RELEASE - An experienced team to deliver for the Sutherland Shire: Pesce and Provan returned as Mayor, Deputy
Sutherland Shire Mayor, Councillor Carmelo Pesce, will serve as Mayor for a further 12 months, after he was returned to the role with the support of his fellow Councillors in an open ballot conducted during yesterday evening’s regularly scheduled Council meeting.
Following the announcement of ballot results, Mayor Pesce said he was deeply honoured at the support he received in taking up the Mayoral chain and robes once again to lead Council for an eighthyear as Mayor.
“It has been an incredible honour to serve the people of the Sutherland Shire as Mayor during my time in the role, and I am honoured and humbled to once again received the support of my colleagues to continue serving as Mayor,” Mayor Pesce said.
“As a lifelong resident of the Sutherland Shire 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 never lose sight of how privileged I am to have the support of local residents and my fellow Councillors to lead them in championing the causes that matter to us all here in the Sutherland Shire.
“As someone who has worked hard to forge a successful career in business, I have a deep appreciation of the challenges faced by our local business sector and will continue to support local businesses to thrive and maintain a strong local economy.
“Eight years is a long time to lead our Council’s elected representatives in effectively responding to a diverse range of community needs that we experience across Sutherland Shire. Yet I am just as committed and enthusiastic today as I was when first elected as Mayor in 2015.
“I’m incredibly proud of the team I lead here at Council and the incredible amount that we’ve been able to achieve on behalf of the community during my most recent term as Mayor.
“To see projects like the opening of our $42m Pavilion Performing Arts Centre, Sutherland through to completion, and to know see the amazing array of world-class performances we now see being staged there week to week will forever be a highlight of my time as Mayor.
“It’s been a pleasure to lead Council as we delivered on projects like the refurbishment of the Sutherland Arts Theatre, improved waterway access through dredging work throughout the Port Hacking, delivered major upgrades to sports facilities like Bellingara Netball Courts and Barden Ridge Athletics Track, among many others.
“But the real pleasure is seeing the difference these projects make in the lives of all those who live, work and play in the Sutherland Shire, and I look forward to continuing to strive to deliver the services and infrastructure our community expect and deserve for some time to come.”
Mayor Pesce welcomed the re-election of Deputy Mayor Carol Provan, saying that the two of them had functioned as a cohesive team to deliver numerous projects and initiatives that have undoubtedly benefited the Sutherland Shire community during their time served together.
“Councillor Provan not only has a proven track record and as a Councillor with over three decades service in local government to her name, but she has a tremendous rapport with all those she crosses paths with in her role,” Mayor Pesce said.
“She lives and breathes the Sutherland Shire and the commitment she shows to serving our community is unrivalled. I look forward to once again working with her to address the evolving needs of our community,” Mayor Pesce said,
Councillor Provan said he she was delighted to have received the support of her colleagues to continue serving the people of the Sutherland Shire as Deputy Mayor.
“Whether it be as Mayor, Deputy Mayor or Ward Councillor, it has always been an incredible honour to serve my community and my constituents, which is why I feel very honoured to have received the backing of my fellow Councillors to continue in this role,” Councillor Provan said.
The pair will serve as Mayor and Deputy Mayor until local residents return to the polls for local government elections in September 2024.