Council Appoints Interim Director Corporate Services and Finance
Published on 05 June 2025
Council is pleased to announce that Peter Smith, a specialist in local government finance, will be joining Council as Interim Director Corporate Services and Finance, commencing Wednesday 11 June, following a search that General Manager David Sherley instigated in April.
Acting General Manager, Neil Southorn, noted that this interim appointment is to help Council in the pursuit of financial sustainability whilst recruitment for a permanent appointment gets underway.
“Peter comes to Council with more than two decades of senior management experience in rural and regional councils. He has extensive experience in financial planning, statutory reporting, compliance and governance, having served as an Interim Chief Financial Officer for multiple councils across Victoria and NSW. He holds a Bachelor of Business (Local Government), a Master of Business Administration and is a certified management accountant.
“We welcome the opportunity to introduce Peter to our operational team here at Council and are pleased to benefit from his level of experience in the local government sector,” remarked Mr Southorn.
Cr Ben Fry, Acting Bathurst Mayor, agreed that Peter’s experience will aid Council’s present position and provide valuable guidance for the short and long term.
“Peter’s brief is clear; steady the books, deliver a budget we can trust, and be another set of eyes for the Council. He has steered regional councils through tight spots before; that experience will serve Bathurst well.
“I have been calling for a fresh look at our finances; Peter brings that outside perspective. His interim title is deliberate - we want plain advice on what can be trimmed, where smart investment is needed, and how to sharpen our overall performance. This starts now while we recruit the permanent director,” said Cr Fry.
Interim Director, Peter Smith, thanked Council for the appointment and commented that there is great opportunity ahead to align Council with its financial and strategic goals.
“I am looking forward to working with the Bathurst Regional Council team as its Interim Director Corporate Services and Finance.
“Being responsible for this important portfolio is such an exciting opportunity and I am confident that our combined efforts will help to enable the General Manager and Council to deliver on the objectives in the Community Strategic Plan.
“From the outset, I will be working on the critical challenge of finding more ways to consolidate Council’s financial position,” said Mr Smith.
Council looks forward to introducing Peter to the wider team from next week.
Media contact: Genevieve Green Media and Communications Officer