Margot Smith to stand down from council

ANGLESEA Ward councillor Margot Smith has announced she will stand down from the Surf Coast Shire council after the October elections.

Cr Smith has been a councillor since 2012, and served one term as mayor in 2014-15.

She is also deputy chair of the Geelong Regional Library Corporation, chair of the G21 Arts, Heritage and Culture Pillar, and a member of the shire’s Positive Aging Advisory Committee.

Cr Smith said she had been motivated to run for office through her experiences with councils during her time in the retail industry.

“I had some interaction with councils through my work, but what stuck in my mind was the interaction I’d had a few years back with a planning objection, and the disrespectful treatment I’d had from a particular past councillor. I thought I could do the job better.”

Cr Smith said she was glad she made the decision, and that her time on council and her time as mayor, in particular, had been very rewarding.

“There are so many wonderful people here with great ideas, passion for what they do and for where we live. It has been a joy to be able to meet so many people,” she said.

“My year as mayor was a joy and the first citizenship ceremony I conducted I found very emotional. I was born in New Zealand and had gone through becoming a citizen in the early eighties.”

Cr Smith said her proudest moments on council included “the decision about Anglesea Bike Park, the declaration of a climate change emergency, a frack-free Surf Coast, and support for marriage equality.”

Cr Smith moved the motion that would see the Surf Coast Shire council declare a climate emergency. She said the shire had taken significant steps in protecting the local environment.

“There are many decisions that have had great community outcomes, and that have protected our beautiful townships and bushlands.”

Cr Smith said one of the major changes from when she started was the amount of information councillors were given. She encouraged any newcomers to the council to take in as much as they could.

“Listen and ask questions – whether it is officers, community members, other councillors. Read as much as you can get your hands on, and remember that everyone wants a good outcome, but you can’t please everyone.”