I am honoured to have been re-elected as May­or of Brighton and am humbled by the level of community support I’ve received during the recent local government elec­tions.

I would like to sincerely say thank you. I’m very much look­ing forward to the hard work we, as a Council, have ahead of us in 2023 and over the next four years.

A huge congratulations to the other successful candidates and my fellow councillors. I am sor­ry for those who missed out on being elected this time around. Those who are brave enough to put their hand up to serve our community are to be admired.

The new Council will continue to work together to ensure we remain a Council with a clear plan for the future; a Council that actively and passionately embraces its role as a place maker, nurturing and build­ing community, caring for our environment and attracting investment.

There are many exciting proj­ects and developments on the horizon for Brighton in 2023. I would like to take a moment to highlight just a few that are very significant for our region and will be a focus for us as a Council in the new year.

Cris Fitzpatrick Park – Brigh­ton Council has commenced works on a $1.26 million project to redevelop the Cris Fitzpatrick Park and deliver an exciting new community space with MONA at Bond Place in Gagebrook (affectionately known as Bondy). Council part­nered with MONA and commu­nity housing provider Centa­care Evolve Housing, who are also contributing financially, and gained support from both State and Federal Government to deliver the major redevelop­ment of Cris Fitzpatrick Park.

Swan Park, Herdsmans Cove – A design has been finalised for a ‘pocket park’, specifically based on the needs of the local residents, and construction will begin soon.

Ted Jeffries Memorial Park (Seymour Street) – A $2.3 million grant from the Federal Government enables work to commence on a $3.4 million project involving extensive upgrades of infrastructure and facilities.

New Medical Clinic – $1.5 mil­lion from the Federal Govern­ment will assist with the estab­lishment of a new GP clinic and allied health rooms in Brighton, in conjunction with Dr Mary Lumsden.

Completion of Bridgewater Parkland Stage 2 – This work includes toilet facilities which are being installed in the next few months.

New Bridgewater Bridge Construction – Construction has commenced and other developments from subsidiary businesses involved in the proj­ect will come online in 2023. Council will be working closely with the State Government, master planning the surround­ing areas.

Brighton High School – The Tasmanian Government is building a brand new high school at Elderslie Road to cater for 600 Year 7 – 12 stu­dents. Construction is expected to commence in the first half of 2023.

IGA Supermarket Devel­opment – The development includes a large state of the art IGA supermarket and four smaller retail tenancies with 84 car parking spaces. The front­age of the site will be a town square.

Point.B – This new develop­ment from the Young Group will be a mixed-use industrial precinct on Cove Hill Road and is currently going through the planning approval process.

In addition, Council will be looking at ways to accelerate our road maintenance and upgrades program over the next few years.

When it comes to the climate crisis, Brighton Council is not sitting back. Council set a zero-emission corporate target by 2040 and an interim target of a 30% reduction by 2030 based on 2021 levels. It is worth noting that we have achieved our 2030 target eight years ear­ly. Stay tuned for a new, more ambitious target and Council continuing with a range of initiatives to reduce our impact and help enhance our environ­ment.

I am very proud that Brighton Council is a member of the Global Compact of Mayors for Climate and Energy and Carbon Development Program, in ad­dition to the Australian Cli­mate Council, Cities for Power Protection CPP program. Credit to staff for the innovative way they are approaching the task of ensuring we are doing our bit and taking action.

Lastly, on behalf of Council, I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. May the festive season be a truly happy and safe time for everyone. In these very turbulent times, I hope we can all find some peace and solace with family and friends. I look forward to leading our new Council in 2023 and getting on with achieving our goals.

Brighton Mayor

Leigh Gray