This week sees the start of a new era at Port Macquarie-Hastings Council with the commencement of new General Manager Tony Hayward. Having moved from South Burnett Regional Council in Queensland, Tony has described the challenges ahead as part of the appeal for the job here. Tony met with media representatives on “day one”, Monday, July 18, and outlined some of his 15 years’ experience in the senior levels of local government and what he sees ahead for Port Macquarie. Priority: “My priority initially is to do a lot of looking and listening and really get a feel for how the organisation works and the key issues for the area. “I want to sit down with the Administrator, the Directors and Managers to gain a good understanding of what needs to be done.” Budget: “I have worked with councils not dissimilar to Port Macquarie. “In my last role, I was able to take the council from a $6.2 million deficit to a $700,000 surplus in around three years. “This was a situation where four Councils had been amalgamated into one and it required some very careful analysis of every element of the budget in order to find savings.” Changes: “I am focussed on strengthening the relationship between Council and the community. “Hopefully within the next three to six months the community will see some positive changes, with the longer two to four year timeframe the real benchmark for positive change.”
