From the Mayor's Desk - Neil Westcott

Published on 21 September 2023

Election of Councillor Neil Westcott as Mayor of Parkes Shire Council

To the Directors and staff at Parkes Shire Council, to my fellow Councillors, to the people of Parkes and to my family present with me here today.

I am truly honoured to stand here now as the newly elected mayor of Parkes Shire. A newly elected Mayor in this place doesn’t happen very often. In fact, before today it has only happened 4 times in the last 57 years.

I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to our previous mayor. Ken, your leadership has taken Parkes Shire from good to great. Your hard work and passion for our patch on this Earth is an inspiration and I look forward to continuing and hopefully building on all you have initiated. Thanks most certainly also goes to your wife, Sue, for the huge role she has played in making your civil service possible. Enjoy the back benches – go easy on me.

Congratulations Councillor Appleby. Parkes has a wonderful new Deputy Mayor - one whom I already know will be a more than adequate spare to the mayor. Welcome aboard Marg.

To my fellow councillors, thank you for your confidence. I promise I will serve with you, not above you. Only together can we seize the opportunities coming our way. Beware, I will be a mayor who delegates.

To the staff and directors of Parkes Shire Council, my 7 years on Council have taught me what an amazing group of people you are and how fortunate we, the residents of Parkes Shire, are to have you. Please know that my default position will always be to support, defend and affirm you individually and as a group in any forum.

As a measure of what has gone on in years past, before I leave tonight (if I get one of those swipey things that let you in), I would like to take 5 things into the Mayor's office:

The first is a Wiradjuri stone tool I picked up this weekend on my farm to remind me every day that there was an amazing people that were here before European settlement and these amazing people still live here and have great value to all of us today.

The 2nd is this family bible that belonged to Joseph Westcott, who came to Parkes 160 years ago. This bible represents my faith and my family living here after 5 generations. Joseph's brother in law, Robert Thornbury, became Parkes' 12th Mayor in 1901 – He was only mayor for 1 year, but still got a street in East Parkes named after him.

These drill bits belong to my great grandfather, Donald Geddes. He was a carpenter and then mayor in 1910, 1920 and 1930. He resettled many WW1 diggers into homes, he lost his wife to the Spanish Flu in 1919 and built many iconic buildings in Parkes. His daughters were the matriarchs of the Field and Nash families, and his granddaughter is my mum. Geddes Reserve at the High School is named in his honour.

Another family member who held the office of Mayor is my Great Uncle, Bill Keast. Besides having a sporting ground named after him, he was well known for dressing smartly and I have no doubt his beautiful fob watch would have attended many official functions.

Finally, there is a quilt made for my daughter, Jessica (celebrating her birth) by Phil Scoble – Jack Scoble’s wife, a very influential man in my life.

All these things will remind me of where we have come from.

The past can present a direction and if we value that direction, it will be up to us in this room to drive it forward.

Parkes Shire has been rich in people of vision. That really excites me. As a world, we have many challenges and for most part the very best we can do is be the very best, right here and right now. I look forward to working with our closest neighbours in Forbes and Lachlan, because jointly we can achieve so much more. The world is coming to our doorstep and together we will be welcoming, prepared and a dynamic region to live and work.

I have much to learn. I know that. I’m sure there will be plenty of times in the next twelve months where my answer is less than perfect, or I will go home to Alison feeling I could have done better. On these cases I will remind myself of the wisdom in this room and that this does not have to be a lonely job.

Which brings me to my family – most who are here. You made this possible. I know my dad – this would have been a proud day for him. Thanks, Mum, for being here today. For those who haven’t met my children this is Jessica, Harriet, Hayden, and Rachael.

Finally, thank you Alison for all you do for us. You are the hub of our wheel and my best friend. Today represents another huge commitment from you, and I promise you I won't be mayor for 17 years.

My family bring me great joy, great support and they give me courage and strength. I am a fortunate man who will always acknowledge what has gone before, but passionately look to build a future we can all be proud of.

Thank you once again for this huge honour. I don’t take it lightly and look forward to building on your significant legacy, Ken.

Councillor Neil Westcott

Mayor of Parkes Shire Council