Brimbank is a city with lots of potential, according to new mayor Bruce Lancashire.
Cr Lancashire was elected unopposed to lead Brimbank council for the next year, on November 17.
In his first interview with Star Weekly since becoming mayor, Cr Lancashire said he felt the future looked bright for the municipality.
“Our rich cultural and linguistic diversity is not just a significant social asset but an important economic benefit in a world that is becoming increasingly interconnected,” he said.
“In particular, I find our young people are well educated, cosmopolitan and a credit to their generation. Our future is in good hands.
“I am personally very excited, with my background in city planning to see what we can do to improve the set up of the area.
“Key focuses for this year are helping the owners of the Solomon Heights precinct in Sunshine North to resolve ecological and development issues and developing Sydenham Park as a significant tourism centre including recreation, conservation and Aboriginal and early settler themes, [these are] two of the most pressing issues for council in the coming 12 months.”
Cr Lancashire was first elected to council in 2016 and was one of four councillors re-elected at the 2020 local government elections.
He said he is proud to be leading a community he has had a long-standing connection to.
“My family has a long association with Brimbank. My first town planning job was with the City of Keilor, processing planning applications.
“My three sons all grew up in Brimbank and educated at Overnewton Anglican Community College. Family history also tells me that a relative was a president of the Keilor Roads Board and is mentioned on a wooden plaque still located in the old City of Keilor offices.”
Speaking of the outgoing mayor, Cr Jasmine Nguyen, Cr Lancashire said she had “set a very high standard for this role”.
“As council’s first Vietnamese Australian mayor, Jasmine has made her local and Brimbank community very proud –a tough act to follow.”
