New Team In Melville
By JESSICA NICO
THE results are in for this year’s local government elections, with Saturday’s vote choosing a mayor and three ward councillors to represent the City of Melville until 2015.
Russell Aubrey won the four-candidate race for mayor after he received almost 10,000 votes to easily beat second placed June Barton.
Mr Aubrey said that as mayor, he would continue to work towards reducing traffic congestion at the major arteries such as Canning Highway, Leach Highway and South Street, aim for responsible development of the Canning Bridge Precinct and Murdoch Activity Centre, and continue the sound financial management of his current term.
For the Bull Creek-Leeming Ward, Robert Willis won his seat after receiving more than 56 per cent of the votes. He would work towards the justification of rates, a tighter financial controller, greater community consultation, reduction of traffic congestion, management of bushland and a solution for the SMRC waste composting facility.
In the Bicton-Attadale Ward, newcomer Susanne Taylor-Rees beat out fellow fresh-face James Versteegen by more than 500 votes.
She said she would aim for the retention of community assets, protection and acquisition of public open space, good communication between residents and councillors, and working for planning decisions that would minimise the loss of privacy during development.
In the Applecross-Mt Pleasant Ward, Nicholas Pazolli will return to his seat after receiving 60 per cent of the votes. He said he would continue to support the reduction of the Canning Bridge precinct building heights while also limiting the encroachment into suburbs and ensuring traffic issues were addressed.
He would also continue to vote against excessive rate increases and monitor council investments.
In the three other wards, Duncan MacPhail, Richard Hill and Mark Reynolds walked into their seats in the City Ward, Palmyra-Melville-Willagee Ward and University Ward respectively.
Source: Melville Times
