Momentous occasion as new Mayor and council elected

An expanded focus on growth and transformational projects in St Marys are among the directions highlighted by the newly elected Mayor of Penrith.

Tricia Hitchen was elected unopposed to the position earlier this month, marking an historic milestone in the Council’s 150-year history.

For the first time, Penrith has seen two successive female mayors, with Cr Hitchen taking over the role from former mayor Karen McKeown OAM.

Following her appointment to the role, Cr Hitchen said she had looked back on the past 10 years since becoming a councillor. She noted how much Penrith has changed, in particular the many new estates which have been developed including Thornton, Caddens, and Twin Creeks.

She said it’s an exciting time for Penrith with several transformative projects taking shape, such as the Regatta Park upgrade, the Police Cottage refurbishment, City Park, and the Soper Place car park revitalisation.

“Given the success of these projects in Penrith, we now have the opportunity to expand similar projects into St Marys and the eastern part of our Local Government Area (LGA), to synchronise with the Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport,” Cr Hitchen said.

“St Marys has a unique opportunity to grow and provide our residents with an exciting shopping experience, CBD and lifestyle,” she said.

St Marys’ strategic importance is ever-increasing as it benefits from the investment in transport infrastructure linked to the Western Sydney International Airport. Sydney Metro – Western Sydney airport’s route will run directly to St Marys where it will link passengers to the rest of Sydney via the existing rail line. It will make St Marys the only key centre connected to the airport by rail on day one of operations.

Along with Cr Hitchen’s appointment as Mayor, Cr John Thain was elected unopposed to the position of Deputy Mayor. A total of 15 councillors were elected to Penrith City Council following the December 4 2021 elections. One third of the councillors are women, marking an increase to the gender balance of the elected Council.

Penrith City Council General Manager Warwick Winn spoke of his delight to be part of Cr Hitchen’s momentous appointment.

“From the early days of Penrith being run by aldermen to now having strong women stand to represent our LGA and community, it shows that we are a progressive City. It was an honour to be part of this historic moment that will be spoken about, and celebrated, for years to come” Mr Winn said.

Click here to see the full list of councillors for the City of Penrith.

Image: New Mayor and Deputy Mayor for Penrith, Tricia Hitchen and John Thain