Power struggle

By Melissa Meehan
NEW Cardinia Shire mayor Ed Chatwin says the days of power brokers choosing the shire’s leadership are over.
Accepting the role of mayor unopposed on Monday night, Cr Chatwin said over the past six years the position of mayor had been controlled by a power group.
He said he felt comfortable that he had never traded anyone’s vote for his own benefit.
“In my years on council I have had nothing to trade off other than myself,” Cr Chatwin said.
“I have not traded anyone’s vote for mine in coming years, I have not canvassed votes, instead happy to see where they fell.”
Cr Chatwin succeeds councillor George Blenkhorn, who did not seek re-election after a year at the helm.
The Ranges Ward representative, in his sixth year as a councillor, was elected unopposed.
Speaking to the Gazette on Tuesday, Cr Chatwin said in years past there was a “power group” headed by one councillor who effectively controlled four of the votes. He would not further clarify his statement.
Originally from the United Kingdom, he has lived in Australia for almost 40 years, holding various management positions, working in the glass container manufacturing industry and being a self-employed management consultant, and lecturer.
At Monday night’s meeting Cr Chatwin said the final year of the council’s term presented several challenges, not the least of which would be advocating to the state and federal governments for a fairer deal on funding for the growth corridor area in particular, and the Cardinia Shire as a whole.
“In the next 10 years the shire is facing some large financial pressures,” he said.
“I see my role as supporting the council in getting the government to change their attitude in the growth areas.
“Some 57 per cent of our ratepayers live outside the growth area – it shouldn’t be up to them to fund these areas.”
He said he would serve the community on the basic premise that ‘great is good for the greatest number’.
“It’s an old socialist saying, but I believe it’s true today,” he said.
“I’m not sure if the other councillors are having a lend of me – maybe giving me the poison chalice, with only one in four sitting mayors in the last year of their term being re-elected – but only time will tell.”
Cr Chatwin was a founding member of the Cardinia Residents and Ratepayers Association, and President Gloria O’Connor said she was pleased to see him elected to the top job.
His fellow councillors, Cr Collin Ross and Graeme Moore said they were looking forward to the next year.
“I am only new to council but Ed was a real elder statesman and showed me the ropes and taught me a lot,” Cr Moore said.
“Ed has worked extremely hard over the years, he has a strong interest in the financial aspects of council and I look forward to his term as mayor,” Cr Ross said.