CEO Resigns after Four and a Half Years of Service

Public Statement by Shire President Julia Meldrum

I am sad to announce that last week I received the resignation of our CEO, Steph Addison-Brown.

Over the last four and half years, Steph has been an outstanding CEO, leading the Shire through a range of significant changes and delivering a suite of key initiatives in line with Council’s goals.  She has consistently performed to an exceptional standard, building strong stakeholder relationships and delivering all the KPIs that were set for her by Council.

In her time as CEO, the Shire delivered a major main street upgrade for Margaret River, implemented a successful new management agreement with Arts Margaret River at the HEART and developed and implemented a Climate Action Plan which made us leaders in the local government industry. She has also overseen the development of a Sustainable Economy Strategy,  Creative Culture Plan,  the Jenna Yen Mundaming (Walking Together) Plan with our Traditional Owners, Public Health Plan and many others. The incredible new Margaret River Recreation Centre has also been planned and developed in the last couple of years and is due to open to the public in early 2024.  Additionally Steph navigated the Shire through the impacts of the COVID pandemic and developed the community care package for Council to support economic recovery and community resilience.

In Steph’s time, the Shire launched itself onto social media platforms and built a brand new, award-winning website to enable enhanced community access to quality information. She has worked with four different Shire Presidents and has very capably supported Council through continual waves of legislative reform and change.

Steph has always provided strong, fearless and impartial advice to Council to inform our decision-making and has always demonstrated the highest levels of professionalism and integrity in line with our values. We thank her for this, and respect that being a CEO involves careful navigation through a continually challenging political environment. 

Steph has actively supported and developed an incredible team of talented staff at the Shire, and many of our people have seen their careers develop and evolve under her thoughtful, encouraging and strategic leadership. She leaves the Shire well set up with a strong new executive leadership team and strategies in place to guide best practice for service delivery, including a refreshed focus on customer experience.

She will be sadly missed by both Council and the organisation and she leaves with our full gratitude, respect, trust and friendship. We wish Steph and her family all the very best for the future.
 
Steph has provided Council with the required 3 months’ notice and Council will consider the appointment of an Acting CEO to cover her role while a formal recruitment process is undertaken for a new CEO.