THE president of the Maylands Ratepayers and Residents Association Elli Petersen-Pik will run for Bayswater council at the local government elections in October.

Mr Petersen-Pik is targeting the south ward seat held by John Rifici, who after one four-year term has had enough and is not recontesting his position on October 21.

In 2014 the MRRA passed a motion of no confidence in Cr Rifici as they felt, “a definite lack of representation”.

Mr Petersen-Pik is an independent candidate with no political-party backing.

• Elli Petersen-Pik in Maylands. Photo by Steve Grant

“I’m not the typical candidate who turns up three months before the election and claims to care about the local community,” he says.

“I’ve been working hard to progress things in Maylands for two years now.

“As the president of the MRRA, I’ve had the opportunity to learn about many different local issues and get familiar with the relevant stakeholders.”

Mr Petersen-Pik also runs the Facebook community page “Improving Maylands,” where’s he organised successful community campaigns, including the upgrade of Maylands Waterlands, getting Coles to clean up and re-fence its derelict vacant lot, and pushing for trees to be planted along Guilford Road and Peninsula Road, making it safer for pedestrians.

Guildford Road

“One of my main aims is to upgrade the Guildford Road streetscape,” he says.

“Despite it being the face of Maylands and a key route for pedestrians, buses and cars, it is the daggiest part of our town centre and has been neglected by our city for a long time.

“I’m glad that council recently agreed to support my proposal to plant trees along the road verges to shade pedestrians, but only four trees have been proposed for planting so far, and that’s not an acceptable outcome.”

by DAVID BELL