WHEN City of Ballarat mayor Cr Ben Taylor took on the top job in November last year, few could have predicted the challenges his leadership would be tasked with.<\/p>\n
A global pandemic that\u2019s shutdown many elements of the local economy, and then a highly critical State Ombudsman\u2019s report into senior management, seem to have sucked the air out of day-to-day issues facing council.<\/p>\n
Yet that\u2019s one of the key reasons Cr Taylor said he\u2019s running for a third term in South Ward. He has more to do.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis feels like unfinished business in relation to where we\u2019re at as a council,\u201d he said. \u201cCOVID\u2019s hit has pretty well put a grind on some things and made it really difficult to set up the city.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a whole lot of strategic work that hasn\u2019t been finalised that needs to be finalised. The growth of the city needs to be put as that number one focus.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe decisions that are going to get made in the next two years will set the agenda for the next 10 to 20 years.\u201d<\/p>\n
The State Ombudsman\u2019s report came down about halfway through Cr Taylor\u2019s first term as mayor.<\/p>\n
While hindsight is 20\/20, he said he was confident council\u2019s response to the report was appropriate.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn looking back I think that we did everything methodically, everything right,\u201d Cr Taylor said. \u201cThere was a lot of challenges and councillors will say that is was difficult through that time.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was challenging but I wouldn\u2019t look back and say I\u2019d change anything in relation to that.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, what Cr Taylor acknowledges what he could have done differently was be more aware of the factors that led to the damaging investigation that ultimately found the then CEO, along with a director, had among other things engaged in questionable hiring practices.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope that all councillors have learned a lesson through it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s still a very difficult line between what\u2019s operational and what\u2019s strategic. The CEO is the only person the council has to employ or fire or follow, but I think definitely, there could have been more checks and balances put it.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs an individual I probably didn\u2019t push hard enough on some of the things I was trying to achieve with the CEO, or at least on getting information.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cr Taylor\u2019s rise to mayor was, in some ways, reasonably unconventional. With the backing of a fellow Liberal Party member, two Labor Party members and a Green, he unseated another Liberal – former mayor Cr Samantha McIntosh.<\/p>\n
He said he took part in the change to help refocus council\u2019s attention.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor me it was about as a city we were ready leading into an election but also working with key stakeholders, whether it\u2019s government or the community,\u201d Cr Taylor said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was really making sure as a city we were back on track on projects and strategy that was needed.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was one of those things that in politics or on council, the cards just fell my way.\u201d<\/p>\n
Should Cr Taylor be re-elected, he said he\u2019d be keen on returning to the mayoral robes, however he also said he\u2019s not banking on the same level of support from the pan-political coalition of the willing that elevated him to the big chair the first time around.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho knows what will happen next term,\u201d he said. \u201cWho knows what that mix is going to be and who knows what positions are going to be available for me or others.<\/p>\n
\u201cFirst and foremost for me is getting re-elected, focusing on that and putting the case forward that I\u2019ve had four years, not just as mayor but as a councillor representing the community.\u201d<\/p>\n
Being mayor has brought a bigger picture focus to Cr Taylor\u2019s view of issues facing Ballarat and South Ward.<\/p>\n
At both the local and citywide level, growth and planning is something he sees as an ongoing challenge for the municipality.<\/p>\n
\u201cGrowth is first and foremost. That means money will start to come into the city and we have the attraction of developers,\u201d he said. \u201cPeople are going to start turning stuff into roads and parks and houses where people want to move to Ballarat.<\/p>\n
\u201cPost COVID it\u2019s really important we set the city up as an attraction to other areas of the state to not only live but invest.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t want to be like Melton, Melton is just house after house. The biggest challenge is making sure there\u2019s community and heart.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
WHEN City of Ballarat mayor Cr Ben Taylor took on the top job in November last year, few could have predicted the challenges his leadership would be tasked with. A global pandemic that\u2019s shutdown many elements of the local economy, and then a highly critical State Ombudsman\u2019s report into senior management, seem to have sucked […]<\/p>\n