Council’s General Manager retires

Tuesday, 28 August 2018

Penrith City Council’s General Manager, Alan Stoneham, has retired after 43 years at Council. Mr Stoneham has held the General Manager’s role for 10 years.

Penrith City Council's General Manager, Alan Stoneham, has retired after 43 years at Council. Mr Stoneham has held the General Manager's role for 10 years. During that time, he has worked with 8 Mayors and helped shape Penrith as a world-class city.

When Mr Stoneham joined Council as a planner in 1972, Penrith had a population of just 60,000. Today, Penrith is home to over 200,000 residents and a leader in our region.

During his years at Council, Penrith has grown to include many new suburbs, including Glenmore Park, Claremont Meadows, Jordan Springs and Thornton and our Children's Services expanded from 2 to 26 centres, during a time when many other councils stopped running child care centres.

Mr Stoneham introduced a Sustainability Team and the award winning 3-bin system, recently profiled as a leading example of sustainable practice in ABC program, The War on Waste. Indeed, over the past 10 years, Council has diverted 275,000 tonnes of waste from landfill and turned it into compost, planted more than 48,600 plants, installed 300kW of solar panels on 34 Council facilities and recycled around 180,000 tonnes of plastic, cardboard, paper and cans.

As General Manager, Mr Stoneham was also instrumental in securing federal and state funding, including the first Greenspace Grant and other ongoing grants that continue to deliver much needed infrastructure for the City.

In addition, he played a key role in securing the Whitewater Stadium as an Olympic venue, oversaw the approval of the Penrith Lakes Scheme, provided vital input in the planning of Western Sydney University and oversaw development of the Erskine Park employment area.

During Mr Stoneham's tenure, Penrith has become a leading tourism destination in the West, hosting a wide range of national and international events which have boosted the local economy. This growth is evidenced by the fact that 10,000 new jobs have been created across a wide range of industries and sectors in Penrith since 2012, bringing us closer to Council's 2031 jobs target of 55,000.

Importantly, Mr Stoneham's strategic approach to planning saw Council create an inspiring vision for the future Penrith, as captured through the Penrith Progression Initiative and being realised through our New West initiative.

Most recently, Mr Stoneham and outgoing Penrith Mayor Cr John Thain led negotiations for the landmark Western Sydney City Deal. This 20-year agreement between the three levels of government will deliver a once-in-a-generation transformation of our region.

"Penrith Council's strength lies in the fact that it thinks and acts strategically to secure the best future for our City and region", Mr Stoneham said.

In line with the City Deal, much of the anticipated growth and investment in our region is centred around the airport, enhanced transport, jobs, housing and sustainability.

Mr Stoneham said he is confident Penrith is up to the task.

"It's not always easy to embrace change, but it's crucial if we are going to continue to thrive. We're a leader in the region and Penrith has a bright future," he said.

Asked to reflect on his years at Penrith Council, Mr Stoneham said: "We've embraced so many opportunities and seen so many positive changes. In leaving Council it feels like I'm farewelling my second family. I grew up in Penrith and I couldn't be prouder of the city we've become and where we're going."

Warwick Winn is Penrith Council's new General Manager. Mr Winn's most recent role was as CEO of Manningham Council in Victoria, a role he took following his time as General Manager of North Sydney Council.

Information contained within this news release was correct as at Tuesday, 28 August 2018.