General Manager Recruitment Process to Commence

Mayor of Bathurst Cr Robert Taylor has paid tribute to retiring Bathurst Regional Council General Manager David Sherley for his more than two decades of services to Council and the community. 

Cr Taylor said the General Manager's retirement in January 2027 will mark the end of a remarkable career in the public service which spans almost four decades. 

"David has led Council since 2004 and in that time our community has grown and changed and so have the services and facilities provided by Council for our region.   

"I want to thank David both personally and professionally for his leadership and dedication to Council and our community. 

"The recruitment and appointment of General Managers in local government is guided by the Office of Local Government Recruitment and Selection Guidelines for General Managers. In line with those guidelines, I will be presenting a Mayoral Minute to the August Council meeting outlining the process to be undertaken.  

"We are already looking to appoint an external executive search firm through a request for quotation process to help us find the right person for the job. That work is underway and is essential to ensure we have support in attracting candidates to the role. 

"I want to stress that the work of Council continues, both within the Chamber and from the executive leadership team and staff while we search for a new General Manager," Cr Taylor said.  

Deputy Mayor Cr Ben Fry said Mr Sherley’s retirement should be marked with gratitude for a long period of service and confidence about Council’s next chapter. 

“David Sherley has given a generation of service to Bathurst Regional Council and the Bathurst Region. Very few people spend more than two decades in senior public life without leaving a real imprint on the place they serve, and David’s Public Service Medal is fitting recognition of that contribution. 

“The Mayor and I are working shoulder to shoulder to ensure Council manages the transition well. This is one of the most important appointments Council will make, and the community should expect a process that is professional, rigorous and worthy of the role. 

“Bathurst has every reason to be confident about its future. Our task now is to preserve stability, thank a long-serving professional, and then look forward with discipline, ambition and a renewed sense of purpose for the region we are all here to serve,” Cr Fry said. 

Media contact: Genevieve Green Media and Communications Officer  

P: 02 6333 6179 M: 0448 685 340 E: genevieve.green@bathurst.nsw.gov.au