Penrith Council’s General Manager retires

Tuesday, 27 February 2018

Penrith Council’s General Manager, Alan Stoneham will retire from Council on 30 June 2018.

Penrith Council's General Manager, Alan Stoneham will retire from Council on 30 June 2018.

When he steps down, Mr Stoneham will have worked for Penrith Council for 43 years - 10 as General Manager - and in the Local Government sector for 47 years.

As a Planner, Planning Director and General Manager, Mr Stoneham has helped shape the Penrith of today and the future City that will continue to lead our region.

In the decade he has led the organisation, Mr Stoneham has worked with Councillors and staff to expand and improve services across the board.

During his tenure, Penrith City Children's Services has grown from two centres to 26, all of which meet or exceed National Quality Standards.

Under his leadership, Penrith was the first NSW council to establish a Sustainability Team and our award winning 3-bin system.

Mr Stoneham said he was proud of Council's ongoing work to improve, protect and maximise the potential of the Nepean River precinct. This includes securing the first Greenspace Grant and subsequent ongoing grants from state and federal governments.

Penrith has grown and changed a great deal since Mr Stoneham first joined Penrith Council in 1972.

"I started working for Council when the City had a population of only 60,000," he said. "The suburbs of South Penrith, Glenmore Park, Claremont Meadows, Werrington County, Werrington Downs, Jordan Springs and Thornton (amongst others) had not been developed."

As Planning Director and General Manager, Mr Stoneham was involved in much of this development. He also helped secure the Whitewater Stadium as a Sydney 2000 Olympic venue, oversaw the approval of the Penrith Lakes Scheme and the Erskine Park employment area.

Mr Stoneham said local jobs growth continues to be one of Council's key priorities.

He cites Penrith's rise as a venue for a wide range of National and International events as just one of the ways Council is striving to create jobs, boost the local economy and expand tourism to the region.

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

"We take our responsibility as a leader of the region very seriously, and the work currently underway with a number of cross regional projects, including the Western City Deal, really gives us the chance to share our knowledge and expertise."

Mr Stoneham describes his 10 years as General Manager as "challenging at times, but also enjoyable and rewarding".

"I'd like to thank the Councillors and our staff for their support over the past 10 years," he said. "I'm confident this organisation will continue to work hard to deliver great services for our community."

Caption: Penrith Council's General Manager Alan Stoneham

Information contained within this news release was correct as at Tuesday, 27 February 2018.