Dear Friends and Owners of Unley,

I hope you enjoy the 2026 Spring News below. Next April 2027 we have Council elections. After 20 years of elected service and with a significant Birthday later this year, I will not be seeking re-election again as your mayor. Some details are in the Newsletter. Thank you for your support, ideas, and encouragement over two decades. As usual, “This newsletter is the voice of your mayor and may not reflect the formal Council position”.

Without support, no-one on Council alone can achieve anything. I have had brilliant support and ideas from the two Deputy Mayors Council has elected this term. Monica Broniecki and Jack Gaffey, both were elected twice by elected members and both, on the second time unanimously. Jack is our current Deputy Mayor.  I am also thankful for the support I have both received and been able to give our current Councillors. We have another 8 months to serve.

No Mayor can expect or should expect to control Council. We need to understand that every elected member has one or two issues that they ran for election on and therefore wish to have the chance to be heard and voted on.

I believe only four Councillors will be re-standing for the next term for election as Councillors. Every Ward will have either one or no existing Councillor rerunning. I also believe that two of our existing Councillors including our Deputy Mayor, will be standing for election as Mayor.  

The good news.

Unley Council now has a new set of rules that protect your elected members that serve you.

Like so many other Councils, prior to the introduction of our Behavioural Management Policy  Unley Council had numerous Code of Conduct cases poisoning the good governance of our Council. This generated bad publicity that undermined public confidence in Local Government. We needed to develop a totally new approach.

Our newly elected Council in 2022 had public costly cases, and then in 2023 after we introduced our Policy the outcomes speak for themselves:

1. zero legal costs since
2. All complaints resolved or were withdrawn.
3. The tone of Council changed and has become respectful and engaged.

After three years’ experience we have reviewed our 2023 code, and the attached code was unanimously agreed to.

In 2027, Please nominate. I have attached the achievements of the previous Council. Next year I will send you the achievements of this Council. If you agree with most…. You are way ahead…. If you nominate then “in Unley, you can do good”.

With my best wishes,

                          Michael

 

Dear Friends and owners of Unley,

 

Please find attached Michael’s Winter news and enjoy!. Some bad news… but lots of good.

 

Planning for growth, (with no winter’s sun and overbearing development next door!)

Unley PS  76% W&C

FOGO  for lower rates

Strip $$$ all the trees

Festival of Rice

Solar  for Units?

Tree wells in streets

Rate rise/surplus 2026-7

Foxy Youth Art

 

If you would like to be kept up to date on any particular issue just let my Assistant Justine know, and you will be kept in the loop as it happens! “Planning for Growth” is a new email group with only 54 residents currently being kept up to date as reports come to Council and changes are made. I fully support Unley Council working with the State Government to achieve a liveable, vibrant, cool green city for the future. Our Council Assessment Panel (CAP) makes decisions based on the rules set by the SA Government. Rules for space and planting trees have no incentives for new developments to comply! Hence as we run out of Council land to plant trees on, without change, we will cook.

The newsletter tells the story of Terry and Sue, a story with no winter’s sun and overbearing development next door!

I am proud of our Council and so grateful for your feedback on our Planning for Growth. You have armed us to work with the SA Government and advocate for our future.

I hope to see you this Saturday for RICE, 12.00 noon -6.00 pm Oxford Tce … details in newsletter!

 

With my best wishes,

                          Michael