BY DAMIEN MADIGAN 24/09/2008 10:40:00 AM
The race to become Blue Mountains mayor looks set to be one of the most open in years with a slew of candidates lining up for the top job when it is decided next Tuesday, September 30.
Liberal Party councillors Daniel Myles and Fiona Creed went public with their ambitions last week, both issuing statements on why they believed they were the best candidates to don the mayoral robes.
The Gazette understands Liberal Party deputy mayor Chris Van der Kley is also interested in the role, although he had no comment to make last week.
Also remaining coy was Labor Party Ward 2 Clr Adam Searle who will put his hand up to replace the outgoing former Labor mayor, Jim Angel.
With the new council consisting of three Labor, three Liberal, three Greens and three independent councillors, no party or group will be able to secure the mayoralty in their own right. Horse-trading will be the order of the day until the vote is taken at next Tuesday's council meeting.
Re-elected Ward 3 Liberal Clr Daniel Myles said he has the experience "to chart a strong direction for the council".
"Our city faces some severe challenges with expenses having passed income four years ago. We've been cutting costs and grabbing every last cent to balance the books . . . the city needs to look at revenue-raising via tourism. I want to make the Blue Mountains the conference venue of Australia and the Southern Hemisphere."
Clr Myles also cited protecting local jobs as a key priority.
"We are a key local employer. I have as good a relationship with our line staff as the Local Government Act allows and they know I've always been committed to protecting their employment. I always attended the staff consultative committee meetings until the State Government warned councillors off doing so."
Clr Myles indicated a determination to learn from past mistakes, particularly in its investment strategy.
"I always advocated investing with one of the big four Australian Banks. This would have given us near 100 per cent security even though the return would have been lower," he said. "The council should now only invest in Australian Government securities. These are 100 per cent guaranteed."
He has found support for his candidacy in former Ward 3 by-election candidate Rodney Forrest.
"I was first to point out the problems with investing in CDOs as they are nothing more than junk bonds and securitised mortgages."
Rodney Forrest is President of Blue Mountains Young Liberals and has consistently been a strong advocate of reform to council's investment strategy since 2006.
"It is unfortunate council is in this position, but council must advance and therefore utilise this time to put forward reforms to the sector to ensure these problems do not re-emerge," he said.
Ward 4 Clr Fiona Creed welcomed the competition for mayor, saying it was "good to see candidates with varied knowledge and experience putting their hand up for the position".
"This will benefit the community in not only the short term but long term as well . . . I'm sure every councillor will be very supportive of the new mayor and deputy mayor who ever that may be."
Clr Creed said becoming a female mayor was an "exciting opportunity".
"My main focus would be on working with the residents and to continue to put the people of the Blue Mountains first," she said.