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Hawkesbury Council is set to face two significant milestones in 2026, with the upcoming mayoral election coinciding with the formal process for the renewal of the General Manager’s contract, a decision that will shape the council’s direction well beyond the next electoral cycle.
The Mayor is elected by Councillors every two years. After the Council elections in September 2024, 12 Councillors were elected. They in turn elected Mayor Cr Les Sheather to lead them and Deputy Mayor Cr Sarah McMahon's name was pulled out of a hat after she tied with Cr Mary Lyons Buckett for this position. Prior to the 2024 elections Cr McMahon served as Mayor with the newly appointed General Manager Elizabeth Richardson who had worked for many years in various positions at Inner West Council.
The General Manager’s contract is due to expire in May 2027, triggering a requirement under NSW local government rules for Ms Richardson to formally notify the council of their intention to seek reappointment by September 2026. That timing places Ms Richardson's decision on whether to apply for a renewal of her contract squarely alongside the mayoral election, due in September, creating a pivotal year for the future governance of the Hawkesbury.
While elections determine the political leadership of a council, the renewal of a General Manager’s contract determines the leadership of the organisation itself.
Under the NSW Local Government Act and the Office of Local Government’s standard contract requirements, General Managers are employed on performance-based contracts and must apply in writing for renewal within prescribed timeframes. Councils are then required to consider that application, assess performance, and decide whether to offer a new contract of up to five years.
Local government experts often note that councils are “only as good as their bureaucracy”, with the General Manager playing a critical role in translating councillor decisions into operational outcomes. The position oversees the entire organisation, including financial management, staff performance, service delivery and the implementation of council resolutions.
As a result, the decision on whether to renew a General Manager’s contract is widely regarded as one of the most consequential a council can make.
With the mayoral election also scheduled for 2026, councillors, both returning and newly elected, will be required to engage with the renewal process at a time of political transition. This overlap raises important governance considerations, including continuity, stability and long-term strategic planning.
Barry Calvert, a former Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Hawkesbury City Council, brings more than two decades of experience in local government to the discussion surrounding the upcoming mayoral election and the appointment of a new General Manager.
First elected to Council in 1999, Mr Calvert served the Hawkesbury community until 2024 and is regarded as an elder statesman of Hawkesbury local government as he has played a significant role in shaping policy, governance and strategic direction over a quarter of a century.
With his extensive institutional knowledge and first hand understanding of the relationship between the Mayor, councillors and the General Manager, Mr Calvert’s perspective on how these leadership roles influence the future direction of Hawkesbury City Council is considered both informed and highly valuable
"The election of the Mayor is extremely important for both the council and the community. When choosing a Mayor councillors need to be confident that the new mayor has the ability and integrity to represent all the council and provide leadership both during general public activities and during times of crisis.
When selecting a GM is it important for councillors to not only select a person with the proper experience and credentials but also one who can successfully lead a large staff team and be able to interpret and implement the plans and policies decided on by the council. It's also important for both a Mayor and a GM to embrace change and accept that change is the only constant"
Council will be required to follow the Office of Local Government’s guidelines, which emphasize transparency, performance review and good governance when considering contract renewals. Any decision must be made well before the contract expiry date in May 2027 to ensure compliance with legislative timeframes.
As Hawkesbury commences 2026, attention is likely to focus not only on who will lead the council chamber, but on who will continue, or be chosen to lead the organisation behind it.
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