City of Parramatta Council has elected its new Lord Mayor and re-elected Councillor Michelle Garrard as Deputy Lord Mayor at a Council Meeting.
Councillor Steven Issa, who takes the helm from Cr Bob Dwyer, and Cr Garrard will serve in the roles until the Local Government elections on 4 December 2021.
“After nine years as a Councillor, including two terms as Deputy Lord Mayor, it’s a privilege to have been elected Lord Mayor of the City of Parramatta,” Cr Issa said.
“Thank you to my colleagues for placing their trust in me to steer our City as it emerges from lockdown and we begin to welcome people back to the centre of global Sydney. We also have an important period ahead as we prepare the Council and organisation for the next term.
“I’d like to thank Cr Bob Dwyer for his service as Lord Mayor. The City and the Chamber owe Bob and his family a debt of gratitude, particularly for the last two years as he led the City through the COVID pandemic, along with huge growth and development underway in Parramatta.”
Cr Issa, a Liberal Party member who represents the Rosehill Ward, was elected to Council in 2017. Cr Issa has served in a number of positions, including as Chair of the Smart City Committee and as Council’s representative on the Sydney Central City Planning Panel.
The father-of-three also served on the former Parramatta City Council as a Deputy Lord Mayor and Councillor from 2012 to 2016. Cr Issa’s father, Tony Issa, was the Lord Mayor of the former Parramatta City Council from 2008-2009.
Cr Garrard, a member of the Our Local Community Party who represents the Dundas Ward, has been elected Deputy Lord Mayor since 2017.
Cr Dwyer thanked the community and his colleagues for their support during his time as Lord Mayor.
“I have been honoured to serve as Lord Mayor for the past two years and as a Councillor for the past eight years.
“I am immensely proud to have played a part in the ongoing transformation of our City, including the development of world-class projects such as Parramatta Square, the new aquatic and leisure centre, Parramatta Light Rail and Powerhouse Parramatta,” Cr Dwyer said.
“I sincerely thank all those who have supported me during my time as Lord Mayor and I look forward to watching our City evolve over the coming years.”
Under the Local Government Act, all Councils where a Lord Mayor or Mayor was elected by Councillors in 2019 are required to hold an election at the end of the two-year Council term.
While all Local Government elections are now delayed until December 2021 due to COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, to comply with the Act, City of Parramatta Council is required to elect a Lord Mayor in September 2021.
