Managing Whittlesea’s growth to ensure the community “doesn’t miss out” is one of the key priorities for new chief executive Michael Wooten.
Mr Wooten joined the council on April 18, having previously worked as the chief executive at the Country Fire Authority.
He replaced outgoing chief executive David Turnbull after councillors last month voted to change the council’s leadership after 10 years.
“The rapid expansion provides challenges and I know there is already some advocacy work under way,” Mr Wooten said. “I will throw my support behind efforts to work with the state and federal government for important funding.
“I’m keen to continue the work already under way in ensuring our community doesn’t miss out on what inner-city residents take for granted, such as roads, access to public transport and health care.”
Mr Wooten listed ensuring financial sustainability for the city as another of his key priorities.
“We need to keep an eye on the future and make sure that we are providing services to our community in the most effective way we can and providing the best value,” he said.
“I know the city is a busy place with more than 100 services to deliver and a budget of $250 million.
“There are many challenges and opportunities ahead of me and I look forward to exploring all of these with the team at the city.”
Mayor Stevan Kozmevski said Mr Wooten had strong financial and commercial skills and would bring a wealth of experience and a fresh perspective to the position of chief executive.
