Golden Plains Shire has announced its next chief executive officer.
Shane Walden will take over as the shire’s chief on Monday, September 2, succeeding Eric Braslis who stepped down from the position in May.
To take up the job Mr Walden will leave Macedon Ranges Shire, where he has served as its assets and operations director for the nearly five years. Previous to that role, he spent seven years as Wyndham City’s manager of facilities and open space.
Mr Walden said he was excited about joining the Golden Plains Shire Council team.
“Golden Plains Shire is known for its strong sense of community with people working together to achieve common goals and outcomes,” Mr Walden said.
“This sense of community benefits the entire Shire and I look forward to continuing the conversations with the community, while embracing innovation and best practices.”
Mr Walden said the council faced a number of exciting challenges and opportunities.
“I look forward to working with the dedicated teams at council,” he said.
“My goal is to foster responsible growth in alignment with the State Government’s Housing Strategy, recognising the importance of developing essential infrastructure such as roads and facilities, and protecting our rural character and environment.
“A key priority for council is to ensure financial stability and effective resource management across the Shire.
“I seek to work with council, staff, stakeholders and communities to deliver great outcomes for the Golden Plains Shire and the broader region.”
Golden Plains Shire mayor Cr Brett Cunningham said Mr Walden brought a clear and ambitious vision for the future of the Shire.
“With Shane’s deep understanding of opportunities and challenges ahead of us, we are confident he’s the right person to lead Golden Plains Shire Council through its next chapter,” Cr Cunningham said.
