General News
4 July, 2024
Council's CEO position vacated
Central Goldfields Shire CEO Lucy Roffey will step down from the position next month, terminating her contract nearly four years early to assume a new role at a metro-based council. While changes in the council were anticipated at a municipal level...
Central Goldfields Shire CEO Lucy Roffey will step down from the position next month, terminating her contract nearly four years early to assume a new role at a metro-based council.
While changes in the council were anticipated at a municipal level later this year, with local elections due in October, an organisational disruption was quite unexpected.
Ms Roffey’s resignation follows six years in the top job — with part of her tenure affected by the pandemic, significant flood events and economic challenges.
Her current term kicked off last year and was set to end in 2027.
However, in a statement released on Tuesday, Ms Roffey said the time had come for her “to seek other opportunities and challenges” in her career.
“[I] have accepted an executive position with a metro-based council,” she said.
“Together we have made significant progress on several strategic priorities and delivered many key projects across the shire.
“Personally, I have enjoyed working and getting to know so many amazing passionate people who are dedicated to making Central Goldfields Shire a great place to live, work and visit...”
In 2018, when Ms Roffey commenced her role as council’s CEO, she was taking on the reins following a tumultuous period for the organisation.
Her predecessor, as well as the then elected councillors, had been dismissed after a Local Government Inspectorate investigation, and subsequent report in August 2017, found evidence of mismanagement of public funds and assets, while also identifying a range of governance failures.
Ms Roffey, along with appointed administrators, was tasked with the responsibility of steering council through this transition period while rebuilding its reputation.
Five years on, when she was reappointed in 2023, Ms Roffey told The Advertiser she was looking “forward to...achieving great things for this community”.
Now, Ms Roffey’s successor will be expected to uphold that statement.
Her last day as Central Goldfields Shire CEO will be August 21 and an interim CEO will be appointed until after council elections in October.
The newly elected council will be responsible for appointing a new CEO.
While it remains unclear who could step into the position, Central Goldfields Shire Council general manager community wellbeing Emma Little has previously taken on the acting CEO role, including in February this year when the threat from the Bayindeen fire led to the set up of an emergency relief centre in Maryborough.