By Matthew Sims
After becoming the councillor of the new Officer Ward in 2020, current councillor Tammy Radford has decided to step down from her seat.
In a statement released on her Facebook page on Wednesday 18 September, Cr Radford said she had made the decision earlier in the year.
“You will notice that I am not a candidate this time round, as I decided a few months ago that I would not be running for re-election but have been struggling to put that into words,” she said.
“I am incredibly proud to have been elected as your representative for Officer Ward and I sincerely thank you for that honour.
“I have worked hard these past four years to ensure that the needs of Officer Ward residents were delivered despite the tight budgetary constraints.”
Cr Radford said she was proud of contributing to the rapid growth of Officer over recent years and ensuring new residents had services such as maternal and child health services, kindergartens, roads and footpaths, as well as the Officer Town Centre.
“I do acknowledge how frustrating and inconvenient the development of these items can be in a growth area, especially if you have moved from an established area, but it is important as your councillor to ensure that these works are being delivered now to support the fast growth we are having, and I thank you for your patience and understanding during this challenging time,” she said.
As the fourth woman to be mayor of the council, serving as mayor during the 2022-2023 term and deputy mayor the year prior, she said she hoped her time as mayor inspired other women to put their hand up for high-level roles, as well as securing more respect for women and achieving equity, equality and diversity in local government.
“I would also like to thank my colleagues who afforded me the incredible opportunity to serve as both deputy mayor and mayor,” she said.
“This was such an honour and given I have only been the fourth female mayor ever elected in Cardinia Shire; it is an honour I am extremely proud of.
“As mayor, it was important to me to be a positive role model and demonstrate how important it is for females to be in this role.”
Cr Radford said her time on council was made more enjoyable thanks to the positive working relationship with chief executive Carol Jeffs and council officers.
“All your questions and concerns were high priority and therefore, it was important for me to ensure I established a respectful working relationship with the CEO and council officers so that we could work together to get the answers you needed, and your concerns addressed,” she said.
“I thank council for working with me these past four years and for your commitment to delivering for our community.”
Cr Radford said part of being a councillor was having to sacrifice time with your family and she was grateful for their understanding over the past four years.
“The role of councillor is not a nine to five, Monday to Friday job and requires a team of support behind you which I am grateful to have had,” she said.
“Without this team and unconditional support, I would not have been able to achieve what I did as a councillor, deputy mayor and mayor.
“It is now important for me to support my family as they are embarking on their endeavours hence my decision to not contest this election.”
Cr Radford said she was keen to see how a new Officer Ward councillor would support the area moving forward.
“Congratulations to the candidates who have nominated for Officer Ward, and I encourage residents to do your research and ask them questions so that you can make an informed decision,” she said.
“Until the new council is elected on 26 October, I am still your ward councillor.
“Please feel free to reach out if there is anything I can assist you with.”
