The City of Mount Gambier has welcomed Chris White to the role of General Manager People, Place and Liveability.<\/p>\n
A qualified town planner, Chris hails originally from the United Kingdom, and brings with him 30 years\u2019 experience in the public and private sector, most recently in Victoria and New South Wales.<\/p>\n
He specialises in planning, placemaking, engagement, community development, tourism, economic development, sport, recreation, arts and culture.<\/p>\n
Born in South East England, Chris studied geography at the University of Huddersfield and continued to follow an interest in urban geography and how places grow and change over time.<\/p>\n
He completed a postgraduate diploma in town planning at South Bank University, London and travelled throughout England and Scotland in planning and development roles before moving to Australia in January 2012 to work in Victoria\u2019s Mallee region.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was working in a very similar portfolio to what I’ve got here for the Gannawarra Shire Council in Victoria and I then had the opportunity to do a year’s work with the state government, focussing on advocacy for Councils across the Mallee,\u201d Chris said.<\/p>\n
In 2017, Chris moved back into local government in the far north of New South Wales and spent seven years as Kyogle Council\u2019s Director of Planning and Community Development.<\/p>\n
Chris was already familiar with Mount Gambier and the wider Limestone Coast region.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love the area and feel privileged to have the opportunity to live and work here,\u201d he said. \u201cThis role is an opportunity to work in a space that I’m experienced in, and I have already been made to feel very welcome by the people of the city.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mount Gambier\u2019s proximity to the Victorian border also appealed to him.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have worked in border communities throughout most of my career,\u201d Chris said. \u201cI was involved in establishing the office of the Victorian Cross Border Commissioner when I was with government there. Mount Gambier has a catchment that reaches into Victoria, and I’m interested in the policy and strategy challenge of working across two states and advocating strongly for the best outcomes for our community and businesses.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chris was excited about the professional challenge of being the new leader of Council\u2019s People, Place and Liveability portfolio.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think there’s a great range of opportunities to explore what kind of place the community wants to see Mount Gambier become for coming generations,\u201d he said. \u201cWe are living in a time where people are reconnecting with regional communities more strongly than they have in the past and the possibilities here are different and greater because of that, and our aspirations should match.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMount Gambier is clearly changing and I\u2019m all about what we can do as a Council to guide and nurture people through that change period and how we can work with the community and businesses to make the city the best version of itself.<\/p>\n
\u201cI’m passionate about my work. I think carefully about the places that I move to and when I get there, I care for them deeply and I want the best for them.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the short term, Chris plans to focus on developing a deeper understanding of the city and council and also join the social soccer competition.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy intention is to get to know the community and find out how it works, I\u2019ll be doing as much listening as talking and I look forward to enjoying the city\u2019s strong sporting culture outside of work.\u201d<\/p>\n
The former City and Community Growth senior management position has been vacant since July 2023.<\/p>\n
City of Mount Gambier CEO Sarah Philpott said the General Manager People, Place and Liveability wasn\u2019t a new role, it\u2019s one of the three General Manager positions within council\u2019s organisational structure, formerly titled City and Community Growth.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe held this position vacant for the past 18 months while we applied internal resources to achieve strategic work objectives such as Mount Gambier 2035 community vision and our strategic plan,” she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have also rethought the focus of this role considering what the community told us through the community vision. It will concentrate on how we connect people and places, how we guide the urban form, how we think about growth and what makes a city an inviting and meaningful place to live, work, set up a business or visit.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe role will also focus on the city\u2019s people, supporting and enabling community capacity, learning and artistic participation and creativity.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are very excited to have Chris on board with us to lead our People, Place and Liveability portfolio.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The City of Mount Gambier has welcomed Chris White to the role of General Manager People, Place and Liveability. A qualified town planner, Chris hails originally from the United Kingdom, and brings with him 30 years\u2019 experience in the public and private sector, most recently in Victoria and New South Wales. He specialises in planning, […]<\/p>\n