City of Melville Council has a new Deputy Mayor, with Councillor Karen Wheatland elected to the position at the November Ordinary Meeting of Council.
Elected as a Councillor for the Palmyra-Melville-Willagee Ward since 2017, Cr Wheatland will now hold the role of Deputy Mayor until October 2025.
In a statement, the Council said Cr Wheatland was known as a dedicated community leader and a strong advocate for equity, particularly for women and underrepresented people and groups.
“I am extremely proud to be elected as Deputy Mayor and to continue to follow in my grandfather’s footsteps in Local Government. Raymond Marshall was the Deputy Mayor for Midland who served on Council for 9 years and was a strong leader in the community,” said Cr Wheatland.
“The opportunity to serve as Deputy Mayor alongside Mayor Katy Mair, Chief Executive Officer Gail Bowman and the Elected Members of the City of Melville is indeed a privilege.
“The City of Melville has many diverse, vibrant and engaged citizens who are the beating heart of our local government and I am excited to represent them as their Deputy Mayor.”
Along with her role as a City of Melville Councillor, Cr Wheatland also serves the community in various leadership roles:
- State Councillor, WA Local Government Association (WALGA)
- Director, Swimming WA
- Chair, Resource Recovery Group, (RRG)
- Chair, Municipal Waste Advisory Council (MWAC)
- National Vice President, Australian Local Government Women’s Association (ALGWA).
“I’d like to congratulate Cr Karen Wheatland on being elected as Deputy Mayor and I look forward to working together with her, along with our Chief Executive Officer Gail Bowman, City staff and fellow Elected Members to achieve the City’s vision of a vibrant, sustainable and inclusive Melville,” said Mayor, Katy Mair.
“I’d also like to thank Councillor Glynis Barber for her great work and service as Deputy Mayor during the previous 13 months.”
