Chief Executive Officer Sunil Bhalla and Horsham Rural City Council have mutually agreed to part ways.
Mr Bhalla, who joined HRCC as CEO in March 2018, is leaving to spend more time with family members and pursue other interests, including the establishment of a charity to support the welfare of young girls in rural India.
The departure will be effective as of Friday, 6 September, and an open process to appoint an Interim CEO is underway.
“I believe it’s time for change. This provides the opportunity for the incoming Council to appoint a new CEO and continue the revitalisation of Horsham,” Mr Bhalla said.
“I am very proud of the work my team and I have done in Horsham over the last six and a half years. We have been on a change journey to build a forward-looking and inclusive organisation, with a culture of accountability and transparency, delivering best value for our community.
“Our staff are committed and passionate about their work, and despite the growing financial pressures, they work hard every day to deliver the best services to our community.
“I would like to thank the mayors (Cr Pam Clarke, Cr Mark Radford, and Cr Robyn Gulline) for their leadership, at times under very challenging circumstances. I admire their passion, commitment, and pursuit to get the best results for our community. I thank all the current and former Councillors that I have worked with for their support.”
“I also want to thank my colleagues at numerous state government agencies, businesses, community groups, and our neighbouring councils who I have worked with for their support.”
“I already had leave planned for September and October prior to the Council election. I might now make it a longer break before embarking on the next chapter. My wife and I have been working on a plan to set up a small charity to help girls from disadvantaged families in rural and remote communities in India with their education. I intend to now focus on launching our charity foundation,” he said.
Mayor Cr Gulline thanked Mr Bhalla for his service and acknowledged his contribution during his time at Horsham.
“We greatly appreciate the expertise and knowledge that Sunil has brought to this organisation during his time at Council and wish him well in the future,” Cr Gulline said.
“Under Sunil’s leadership, we have seen remarkable progress in our infrastructure projects and community services that will have a lasting impact into the future.”
“It is essential for our Wimmera Mallee region that Horsham is a progressive regional city that attracts investment and people through opportunities and liveability. Sunil’s strong focus in this area has been instrumental in Council gaining funding for the delivery of generational projects,” she said.
Under Mr Bhalla’s guidance, Council has successfully secured more than $20 million in state and federal government investment in key infrastructure projects for the municipality, including:
- Horsham Regional Livestock Exchange’s roof installation
- Wimmera Agricultural and Logistics HUB
- More than $5 million in competitive Federal Government roads funding
- Riverfront Activation project and Nature Play Park
- Hamilton Street Pedestrian Bridge
- City Oval and Sawyer Park Redevelopment
- Upgrades to Horsham Aquatic Centre
- Sporting facility upgrades at Quantong and Dudley Cornell Park
- Dooen Landfill expansion
- Horsham silo art project
