After twenty five years in the police force David Cushway this week started work as General Manager at Guyra Shire Council. It’s a move that he feels will give him an opportunity to work closely with the community and it’s a challenge he is looking forward to.

“I was attracted to the position because Guyra is a unique small community that has great potential for growth,” he said. “It is a town that is not losing resources and the town and council have set a benchmark for other towns to strive for.”

“My hope is to see the community continue to grow sustainably and work with the new council to see this happen,” he added.

In his first days on the job David has been busy meeting staff and working on establishing a good relationship with them. Having previously been in charge of more than 160 staff over an area of 33000 square kilometres, he anticipates having a much closer working relationship with both the staff and the community.

Obviously the big issue at the moment is the elections, and while he acknowledges there has been some controversy, he anticipates working through the issues with the new representatives on how best to manage the Shires finances and infrastructure.

David is a great supporter of the New England Strategic Alliance of Councils. “It has proven to be a great vehicle to maintain the autonomy of Guyra Shire while still achieving economies of scale that are beneficial for the whole community and the member councils,” he said.

An avid St George supporter, he plans to be an active member of the community and welcomes meeting as many shire residents as possible over the coming months.