New Mayor, Deputy elected to lead Penrith

Penrith Councillor Todd Carney was elected as Mayor of the City for the first time at September’s Ordinary Meeting of Council with Councillor Mark Davies elected as Deputy Mayor.

Councillor Carney was elected to Council in 2016 and succeeds Councillor Tricia Hitchen in the role and will serve a one-year term as Mayor, taking him through until the Local Government Election in September 2024.  

The shortened term is a result of the one-year postponement to Local Government Election in 2020 due to the pandemic, with the cycle returning to its prescribed four-year term again in 2024. 

The newly elected Mayor thanked his Councillor colleagues for the opportunity to serve in the role.

“I have been asked what my priorities will be over the next 12 months – that’s a hard question to answer as we have a list of delivery programs underway with projects like Regatta Park, City Park, our day-and night-time economies, the Gipps Street Recreation Precinct and our WestInvest city transforming projects,” Cr Carney said.  

“However, like my predecessor Cr Hitchen, I have a keen focus on St Marys and what opportunities we can leverage there with the (Western Sydney Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport and metro rail line.”  

Cr Carney said Council has started to lay the foundations for a strong future through the St Marys Structure Plan but there is more work to be done.  

“St Marys Central Park will be fantastic, and we have an opportunity to build on this, to give people a place where they can work, live and play. Our community is crying out for dining options, and we also need to continue discussions with the business community… we need to get the planning right.”  

Cr Mark Davies was elected as Deputy Mayor at the September Ordinary Meeting. Cr Davies joined Council in 2004 and served as Mayor from 2012-2013.