Bland Shire Council is proud to announce that staff member Joshua Jongma has been named a finalist for the Emerging Leader of the Year Award at the 2026 NSW Local Government Excellence Awards.
Joshua, who currently serves as Council's Coordinator Internal Audit, Risk and Governance, was nominated by Bland Shire Council in recognition of his leadership, professionalism and strong contribution to the organisation and the wider local government sector.
All nominations for the awards were highly competitive, and being selected as a finalist is a significant achievement. The judging panel noted the high standard of submissions received from across the state.
While Joshua has recently made the decision to accept another position elsewhere to be closer to family, Council felt it was important to recognise the impact he has made during his time with Bland Shire Council.
Mayor of Bland Shire Council Brian Monaghan said Joshua's nomination reflects both his commitment to his role and the calibre of people working within regional local government.
"Joshua has been a valued member of our team and has made an outstanding contribution during his time with Council," Mayor Monaghan said.
"Being named a finalist in these statewide awards is a wonderful recognition of his work and we are incredibly proud to see someone who has worked at Bland Shire Council acknowledged in this way."
The Local Government Professionals Australia NSW awards celebrate excellence, innovation and leadership across the local government sector.
The winner of the Emerging Leader of the Year Award will be announced at the Local Government Excellence Awards Dinner 2026 on Thursday, 4 June 2026.
The awards dinner is a major celebration for the sector, recognising outstanding projects, initiatives and the people who contribute to the success of local government across New South Wales.
This recognition highlights the important role Bland Shire Council plays in developing future leaders in local government.
