Mayor for a Day program a valuable opportunity

I’M excited to invite applications from our secondary students to participate in council’s Mayor for a Day program.

Year 10, 11 and 12 students from the Gunnedah Shire are eligible to apply for the interactive program as part of NSW Local Government Week, which aims to give the community a closer look at the inner workings of local government and celebrate our diverse and talented team.

I believe the Mayor for a Day program gives young people a valuable opportunity to understand the roles, responsibilities and challenges involved in leading Gunnedah Shire Council.

They can discover these things by joining me on a typical day as mayor on Tuesday 4 August. The successful applicants can come inside the council chambers and meet my fellow councillors and senior staff. They will also meet and mix with current and former council trainees, and accompany me on tours of our facilities and projects. When I meet with council stakeholders, there will be a seat at the table for the successful applicants so they can gain an insight of the importance of not only policies and procedures, but also positive relationships.

If you know a young person in years 10, 11 or 12 who has an interest in civic leadership, encourage them to fill in the online form that outlines what they would do if they were mayor of Gunnedah Shire Council. The link can be found on council’s website and Facebook page.

Applications can be received up until 5pm on Friday 10 July, then a panel will select the students who will be invited to act as mayor for a day.

I look forward to working alongside our young people!

While we are in talks about our young people, I invite residents of all ages to apply to be a part of council’s Australia Day Working Group.

To organise a truly valuable and memorable day for our community, we need the involvement of, well, the community. That’s you.

If you have ideas for meaningful and inclusive activities, please fill in a nomination form on council’s website or pop into the library or council’s administration building to fill in a paper copy. You can also access the form at the top of council’s Facebook page.

Continuing vandalism is concerning

Unfortunately, I also need to talk about something concerning that is continuing to occur in our community – vandalism.

Brock’s Court and Livvi’s Place continue to be targets of vandals.

Livvi’s Library in Livvi’s Place is out of action because the door was ripped off for the second time and the books removed and thrown around the playground. The library is now empty and will have to be repaired, cleaned and restocked.

This is deeply disappointing. Livvi’s Library was installed in November 2024 to give parents and caregivers the opportunity to read books to children in a quieter area of the playground that is designed for sensory play and is accessible for anyone in a wheelchair or those experiencing mobility challenges.

The initiative was carried out by council’s Access Working Group and the hope was that community members would donate books of their own as they were outgrown, however, the books have instead been taken, damaged or destroyed.

Due to the ongoing issues, the library will be moved to the front of the playground where vandals can be easily seen and identified. Council will update the community when Livvi’s Library is ready for use again.

If you witness any suspicious activity, please report it to Gunnedah Police or NSW Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000. In an emergency, always call 000.

If you come across any vandalism in our community, contact council by phoning (02) 6740 2100. Photos and videos of vandalism are also helpful to staff.

COLLEEN FULLER, MAYOR, GUNNEDAH SHIRE COUNCIL