WALGA president Cr Troy Pickard. Image: City of Joondalup.

The Western Australia Local Government Association (WALGA) has elected City of Joondalup Mayor Troy Pickard as its new president.

Cr Pickard was voted in as president at WALGA’s state council meeting last week to replace outgoing president Cr Bill Mitchell.

 “It’s a great honour to have been elected, and I am looking forward to representing WALGA and the local governments across this state,” Cr Pickard said.

“There are many challenges currently facing local government and we will work closely with the State Government to address these and other issues that directly impact our local communities.”

On the issue of local government reform, Cr Pickard said he was “absolutely against” forced amalgamations and said councils need to have a “controlling influence of their destiny”.

Cr Pickard has served in local government since 2001 as a councillor and deputy mayor at the City of Stirling. In 2006, he was elected mayor of Joondalup and 2007 he was elected deputy president of WALGA.

He is a current board member of the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) and was appointed to the Australian Council of Local Government (ACLG) in 2008.

Shire of Wickepin president Steven Martin replaced Cr Pickard as deputy president of WALGA.

WALGA chief executive officer Ricky Burges congratulated the newly elected representatives and extended her thanks to outgoing president Bill Mitchell for his “outstanding” contribution to the sector.

“Cr Mitchell has passionately represented local government at state and federal arenas and has shown a great deal of tenacity and commitment to our cause over the past seven years,” Ms Burges said.

“Key achievements during his time as president include successful campaigns in 2005 and 2006 to increase funding for libraries and to first delay then eventually reverse the introduction of proportional preferential voting in Local Government elections.

“Perhaps most significant given the sector’s current focus, Cr Mitchell demonstrated enormous leadership and vision in championing the issue of local government reform, and the research and consultation involved in the Systemic Sustainability Study.”