At its Ordinary Meeting held on 14 April 2026, Hawkesbury City Council accepted the resignation of its General Manager, Ms Elizabeth Richardson.
Mayor Les Sheather said Council acknowledged Ms Richardson's outstanding service and leadership over the past five years.
"On behalf of Council and the Hawkesbury community, I want to sincerely thank Elizabeth for her exceptional leadership, unwavering commitment and genuine care for our people," Mayor Sheather said.
"Under her leadership, Council has not only navigated adversity but emerged stronger, more resilient and better positioned for the future. Elizabeth's legacy will be felt for many years to come - she has built a strong, capable organisation that is well placed to continue delivering for our community."
During her tenure, Ms Richardson oversaw a significant program of reform and delivery that has transformed Council's performance and capability. She led a comprehensive organisational transformation, resulting in a stronger, more positive workplace culture, with employee engagement now ranking among the highest in the local government sector.
Ms Richardson also drove a substantial uplift in infrastructure delivery, increasing Council's capital works program from approximately $15–20 million annually to around $100 million per year, underpinned by strengthened governance, improved program controls and enhanced organisational capability.
She played a critical leadership role in disaster response and recovery, guiding the organisation and community through the 2022 and 2024 flood events. This included overseeing a $180 million infrastructure recovery program to restore critical access for local and remote communities.
Her tenure also saw the implementation of major financial sustainability and service reforms, including the transfer of Wastewater services to Sydney Water, ferry operations to Transport for NSW, the extension of the Hawkesbury Waste Management Facility's lifespan, improved commercial returns, and significant contract reforms across key service areas. Reform in Council's planning areas has meant DA processing times for housing are now amongst the fastest in Sydney.
In addition, Ms Richardson strengthened Council's governance and strategic planning frameworks while also achieving state and national recognition across sustainability, infrastructure recovery, community engagement and climate adaptation.
Council has appointed Will Barton as Acting General Manager from Friday 17 April 2026 while the recruitment process for a new General Manager is carried out.
"I want to reassure all residents that we have continuity of leadership and that as far as our City is concerned it is business as usual," Mayor Sheather said.
