Chris Kelly quits as Barkly Regional Council CEO after 12 months
Barkly Regional Council has lost its chief executive after 12 months in the role. Here is why he’s leaving.
Alice Springs
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The chief executive of Barkly Regional Council has resigned after 12 months in the role, having helped to lead the local government through a tumultuous period.
The council announced on Friday that Chris Kelly had resigned from his position and would return to Townsville, Queensland.
It said Mr Kelly had quit because his 12-year-old son and wife were “missing him dearly” and his eldest daughter was expecting their first grandchild.
Mr Kelly took on the role in July last year, weeks after the entire council was dismissed following an investigation into bullying, harassment and conflicts of interest between councillors’ between January 2022 and October 2023.
He headed up the executive branch of the council while new elections were held, and helped to take it from a $12m deficit last financial year to a budget surplus.
“Mr Kelly has also been a strong advocate for the economic growth of the region and has left Council with a succinct regional plan that will continue to support the region into the future,” the council said in a statement.
“He has also delivered a staggering number of projects across the Barkly, and increased staff engagement and alignment from a mid-point to the top 10 per cent of councils from across Australia.”
“The council thanks Mr Kelly for his contributions and wishes him well in his future endeavours.”
Mr Kelly’s last day will be July 11, and a recruitment process will be undertaken to find a replacement chief executive.
Council director of community services Susan Steele will serve as interim chief executive in the meantime.
Tennant Creek Mayor Sid Vashist said he was “grateful to Chris and his dedication to our region over the past year”.
“We are also incredibly fortunate to have someone of Susan Steele’s calibre step into the Acting CEO role.
“Her deep understanding of our council and region will be invaluable as we navigate this transition and search for our next long-term leader. For Barkly Regional Council, it is business as usual.”
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