Port Phillip Council has a new Mayor and Deputy Mayor for 2021-22.
Gateway Ward Councillor Marcus Pearl, who was serving as Deputy Mayor, was last night elected to lead the Port Phillip community as Mayor over the next 12 months.
Cr Tim Baxter (Canal Ward) has returned to the role of Deputy Mayor, which he earlier fulfilled in 2019-20.
Both Councillors served on the previous Council before being elected to another four-year term a year ago.
Cr Pearl promised to act with integrity and to ensure all views are heard as Council continues to help the Port Phillip community rebuild from the significant social and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I look forward to what is going an exciting year ahead as we focus on delivering our Council Plan and helping our community recover from the effects of the pandemic,” he said.
Cr Baxter said developing the Council Plan and Budget had been a key priority for the past year.
“We now need to focus on the Council Plan and what we want to achieve for our community. We have had to pause some things and change some priorities due to this pandemic, but we have a lot of promises to keep and we will be delivering them.”
Cr Pearl praised outgoing Mayor Louise Crawford for expertly tackling the challenges of leading a new Council during a pandemic.
Cr Crawford told the meeting it had been an honour to serve as mayor during one of the most difficult years for the City.
“I thank everyone for their support and hopefully the most difficult times are behind us. It’s been a humbling experience and I look forward to the next three years on Council.”
Cr Pearl is a CEO specialising in insurance, banking and financial markets.
Cr Baxter has more than a decade’s experience in community organising and engagement.
