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CEO Announces February Departure

Bass Coast Shire Council CEO, Paul Buckley PSM leaves position.

By Portal Admin - 9th September 2018 - Back to News

Bass Coast Shire Council CEO, Paul Buckley PSM has confirmed he will not seek reappointment as Council’s CEO upon conclusion of his current contract.

Mr. Buckley announced his decision to Council’s Mayor, Councillors and Council staff on Monday 20 August that he will leave the CEO position he has held for 4.5 years on 16 February 2019.

Mr. Buckley commenced in the CEO role in February 2014 following nearly 10 years as CEO at Latrobe City Council.

Bass Coast Mayor, Cr Pamela Rothfield acknowledged the decision of the CEO and said that by the time Mr. Buckley concludes his contract in February, he will have served 41 years in local government.

"I’d like to take this opportunity to recognise and thank Mr. Buckley for his enormous contribution over many years to local Government - both from a Bass Coast perspective and the wider Gippsland community," Cr Rothfield said.

"Upon notifying me, Mr. Buckley expressed how much he has enjoyed his time at Bass Coast and that he will be sad to leave. He has made such a positive contribution to the organisation and the community through his leadership in performance and financial management, and relationship development, and this along with the achievements through our advocacy; he leaves this shire with a wonderful legacy.

"The community is starting to see the benefits of this work through new and improved services and facilities and it is better placed to meet the future challenges that lay ahead. I thank Mr. Buckley for his dedication and hard work.

"For a council to function at its full potential there must be collaboration between council and the administration. Only working together, in concert, can objectives be achieved. Council and Mr. Buckley’s administration have worked so well together. It has been a pleasure to work with someone of Mr. Buckley’s calibre and experience, and Councillors are very grateful to have been fortunate to have had this experience.

"It is now Council’s role to commence the recruitment process and seek Mr. Buckley’s replacement over the next six months," Cr Rothfield concluded.

Mr. Buckley said he still has six months committed to the organisation before he departs, but he wished to thank the Councillors and staff for their support to date.

"In February, I am sure I will look back on the achievements over the last five years as some of the proudest moments during my time in local government," Mr. Buckley said.

"I think this is one of the best Councils I have ever worked with. It really has been a partnership approach. I thank our Councillors and staff for their support and professionalism. They continue to place the community’s best interests at the centre of their decision making and work in a collaborative way.

"The fact it has been such a great environment to work in has definitely kept me in the role longer than I may have otherwise been.

"I am very proud of the organisation’s achievements. We have improved our community engagement and advocacy, delivered significant community facilities, restructured Council’s financial operations with a focus on service reviews and savings that have been re-invested back into capital works for the community."

Mr. Buckley explained that he did not have the intention to work full-time beyond February 2019 and looks forward to transitioning into semi-retirement with a focus to spend more time with his family.

"The reason may sound a little cliché, but my decision was based on what is best for me and spending more time with my family. I think the timing is right and it provides a great opportunity for Council to seek a new leader for the organisation," Mr. Buckley concluded.


Paul Buckley

Source: www.gippsland.com

Published by: support@gippsland.com