Change at the top as Todd Carney elected Mayor of Penrith

There’s been a change in local government in Penrith, with former Deputy Mayor and ALP Councillor Todd Carney taking over the Mayorship from outgoing Liberal Councillor Tricia Hitchen after securing council support through a vote.

No LNP members contested the vote after Mayor Hitchen confirmed earlier in the week that she would not nominate for the role again, which meant Carney faced a sole challenge from Independent Councillor Kevin Crameri. Carney won the subsequent vote by a convincing 11 votes to two margin.

Carney’s former Deputy Mayor role will now be filled by Mark Davies, who also beat Crameri by the same margin the Deputy Mayor vote.

In her final speech in the role of Mayor, Cr Hitchen reflected on the successes and challenges during her tenure, including her lingering disappointment over the Penrith Stadium project and her frustration at seeing the Penrith Lakes site still closed to the public despite fierce Council support. Thankfully for the causes and community, Hitchen will retain her role as a councillor moving forward.

In his maiden speech as Mayor, Cr Carney said his initial focus would be on St Marys and the ongoing Metro project.

The news has piqued interest online given the fact Cr Carney shares his name with a notorious rugby league player, known for a number of egregious acts in the past. They are not the same person.