Byron mayor Simon Richardson has revealed he will step down from his role on April 30

“I wanted to build three bridges when I took on the role as mayor. I believe in all three areas, we are in a better place.”

Byron Shire mayor Simon Richardson.

Byron Shire mayor Simon Richardson will be stepping down from his role in local government at the end of April.

Cr Richardson had already announced he would not recontest his position on the council at the election this September.

Council elections were earlier scheduled for last year, and this would have marked the end of his time on the council, but they were delayed a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

But in a post on social media, the mayor has announced he would end his time in the role on April 30.

Nationals MLC Ben Franklin and Byron mayor Simon Richardson at the opening of the Byron Bay Bypass on Saturday, February 27, 2021. Picture: Liana Boss

“Though I love and am grateful for the ongoing support of me personally and for council’s efforts on your behalf more broadly, it’s time for me to move on,” Cr Richardson wrote.

“I will be ceasing my role as Mayor, Councillor and Council representative on Rous County Council on Friday, 30th of April.

“The past nine years have been the most life changing period of my life.

“As a young activist living in the sand dunes of Belongil or in my tipi at Belongil Fields or on MOs in the hills, and working on forest campaigns or creating Tribe magazine and One Tribe parties, it was inconceivable to me then that I would have the privilege to be my beloved Byron Shire’s mayor, and represent this incredible community.

Byron Mayor Simon Richardson with daughters Frida and Matilda at the Brunswick Carnival.

“I have been ruminating over it for some time, but I now feel it is best for my family and for me that I depart stage left.”

He said the past term of council had been a “particularly tough personal journey” for him, including dealing with his own “acute episodic anxiety”, the tragic loss of his wife after a year-long illness and grappling with then being a sole parent.

“As someone who goes in boots and all and gives anything I do 100 per cent, I cannot strive to be a great mayor and a great sole parent of two girls; I choose my girls,” he said.

“Though I wanted to leave at the end of September last year, I have enjoyed the last seven months and have been grateful to have been able to help ensure certain important projects can proceed- including the Bypass, interchange, skatepark, housing and solar projects.

Byron mayor Simon Richardson speaks at the council's Australia Day Awards ceremony, held on Saturday, January 25, 2020 at the Cavanbah Centre.

“I am really excited about the direction of council-we are doing, creating and managing great things and I am excited too, about what may come for me next.

“It has been a humbling, exasperating, difficult, and incredibly wonderful experience.

“I wanted to build three bridges when I took on the role as mayor. The bridge between councillors, between councillors and staff and between council and the community.

“I believe in all three areas, we are in a better place than where we were before I became mayor, and much of that has been due to the councillors, staff and the wider community.”