Ballarat City Councillors have elected Cr Tracey Hargreaves as Mayor and Cr Ben Taylor Deputy Mayor for 2024/25.
This followed the new councillor group for the 2024-2028 Council term being officially sworn in at the Oath/Affirmation of Office Ceremony at Town Hall on Monday night.
Now in her second term as a Councillor, Cr Hargreaves will serve as the Mayor of Ballarat for the first time.
This will also be Cr Taylor’s first time as Deputy Mayor, having served the city as Mayor in 2019/20.
After the vote, the new Mayor was presented to the Town Hall Chambers in the official Mayoral robes and chains, accompanied by the Sovereign Hill Red Coats.
Following the meeting the traditional ringing of the heritage Alfred Bells at Town Hall took place.
Wadawurrung Tradional Owner Shannen Mennen performed the Welcome to Country.
City of Ballarat Mayor Cr Hargreaves said she was honoured to be appointed to the role and looked forward to serving the Ballarat community.
“I thank my fellow Councillors for their support and I’m committed to serving in this role with integrity, honesty and dedication,” she said.
“We have heard loud and clear from our residents during this election that people overwhelmingly want Council to get the basics right. With cost of living pressures hurting our community, it is important that we provide the best value for people’s rates.
“This will be front and centre for me as we embark on the next budget cycle and I will also be advocating loudly and strongly to ensure Ballarat gets its fair share of Government funding to help us to continue to deliver.”
This is Cr Taylor’s fourth time as a Councillor, following the 2008-12, 2016-20 and 2020-24 terms.
He said he was looking forward to working with the new and returning members of Council and to further cementing the teamwork needed to help our community.
Many family and friends attended the council meeting in the public gallery, while the meeting was also streamed online.
City of Ballarat Mayor Cr Tracey Hargreaves and Deputy Mayor Cr Ben Taylor will be presented to Ballarat in an official proceeding on the steps of Ballarat Town Hall at 9am on Tuesday 19 November 2024.
