Hawkesbury City Council has accepted the resignation of its General Manager, Elizabeth Richardson, after five years in the role.
In a statement, Mayor, Les Sheather acknowledged Ms Richardson’s “outstanding service and leadership”.
“On behalf of Council and the Hawkesbury community, I want to sincerely thank Elizabeth for her exceptional leadership, unwavering commitment and genuine care for our people,” Mayor Sheather said.
“Under her leadership, Council has not only navigated adversity but emerged stronger, more resilient and better positioned for the future. Elizabeth’s legacy will be felt for many years to come – she has built a strong, capable organisation that is well placed to continue delivering for our community.”
During her tenure, Ms Richardson oversaw a significant program of reform and delivery that has transformed Council’s performance and capability. She led a comprehensive organisational transformation, resulting in a stronger, more positive workplace culture, with employee engagement now ranking among the highest in the local government sector, the Mayor said.
Ms Richardson also drove a substantial uplift in infrastructure delivery, increasing Council’s capital works program from approximately $15–20 million annually to around $100 million per year, underpinned by strengthened governance, improved program controls and enhanced organisational capability, he said.
Council has appointed Will Barton as Acting General Manager while the recruitment process for a new General Manager is undertaken.
“I want to reassure all residents that we have continuity of leadership and that as far as our City is concerned it is business as usual,” Mayor Sheather said.
