BARRY McKENNA is Bayswater’s new mayor. The veteran councillor was voted in by colleagues after Sylvan Albert lost his ward seat at last weekend’s council elections.
Cr McKenna won the mayoral ballot 7:4 against Cr Terry Kenyon, a two-time former mayor.
Following a high-profile south ward campaign, Mr Albert lost his seat to Catherine Ehrhardt, who started the Maylands Hawkers Market.
Also tipped out on the weekend were deputy mayor Michael Sabatino and councillors Mike Anderton and Martin Toldo, replaced by Sally Palmer, Brent Fleeton and Dan Bull.
Cr McKenna had previously flagged he’d put his hand up (Voice, September 18, 2015) but the loss of Crs Albert and Sabatino had spurred him on.
“There was a vacuum at the top,” the 54-year-old told the Voice, saying he was “moved and surprised” by the strong show of support.
“It’s the first time I’ve put my hand up for mayor.
“I thought it’d be a good time to go for it, and we certainly have talent around the table.”
Cr Stephanie Coates was voted in as deputy mayor.
First elected almost 25 years ago, Mr McKenna says it’s rare for such a clean-out at election time: Cr Chris Cornish was the only incumbent to be returned.
“It’s a sign people want change,” says the new mayor, who served as deputy from 2009-13 under Cr Kenyon.
He says all outgoing councillors made “significant contributions to the community”.
“We all did the work, but it wasn’t the direction the people wanted to see,” he says.
His major priority as mayor is to improve community consultation.
Other issues he plans to tackle include revisiting town planning schemes, increasing the scope of the city’s tree canopies, and better providing sporting and recreation grounds.
He told the Voice he will leave his job as humanities teacher at East Perth’s Trinity College next year to be a full-time mayor.
In 2013 the mayoral allowance was upped to $136,000, making it a viable full-time role.
In Bayswater the mayor is a councillor, chosen by councillors, every two years.
by EMMIE DOWLING
Perth Voice Interactive 
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