Yarra City Council CEO Vijaya Vaidyanath has today announced her resignation from Council after almost a decade.
Ms Vaidyanath will take up a prestigious new role as the inaugural CEO of Homes Melbourne at the City of Melbourne, delivering on its commitment to improve city-wide housing accessibility and affordability.
Homes Melbourne has been established to deliver on the City of Melbourne's commitment to facilitate city-wide housing accessibility and affordability.
Homes Melbourne will work with both levels of government, the property sector, community housing providers and philanthropic bodies to address the current short fall of safe and affordable homes for key workers. Homes Melbourne will also facilitate short term accommodation and services for those experiencing homelessness and rough sleeping.
Ms Vaidyanath said: "I have enormously enjoyed my time at Yarra City Council and most importantly I have appreciated the support I have received from councillors, staff and the wider Yarra community".
"It has been a pleasure and a unique privilege to serve as CEO of Yarra since mid-2012 and there is nothing more rewarding than direct service delivery and seeing how the quality of people's lives can be enhanced."
Yarra City Council Mayor Cr Gabrielle de Vietri said Ms Vaidyanath had shown impeccable leadership during her time at Yarra City Council, always putting community first and leading with warmth and conviction.
"While this is a sad loss for our community, we recognise what an amazing opportunity this is for Vijaya (VJ) to work on the delivery of this important new initiative at the City of Melbourne."
"VJ has come to represent the very epitome of Yarra. She is a vibrant, energetic and innovative leader who has left an amazing legacy and an organisation that is more engaged and connected to its community and the broader local government sector,' Mayor de Vietri said.
"I have no doubt that Vijaya's immense talent and experience will continue to make a positive contribution and difference, just as she has done during her time at Yarra."
"Her dedication to advocacy and engagement has seen her recognised as an innovator, always looking to achieve progressive outcomes for the community she loves and represents."
Ms Vaidyanath has achieved enormous success and has earnt the respect of many during her tenure at Yarra.
Some of her key highlights include:
- Yarra being recognised as Victoria's first carbon neutral Council and the first Council in Australia and the third in the world to be recognised as a One Planet Council.
- Overseen a successful advocacy agenda attracting significant investment from state and federal government to deliver innovative municipal outcomes
- The creation of the Bargoonga Nganjin community hub and library in Fitzroy North
- The redevelopment of the former Fitzroy Gasworks site, transforming the 3.9 hectare site into a vibrant new neighbourhood precinct incorporating 20% social and affordable housing, community facilities and open space, a new secondary school campus and a regional sports centre.
- Playing a pivotal role in delivering the Cremorne Place Implementation Plan which guides future develop and growth in one of Australia's premier online and digital hubs.
- Securing a landmark partnership with Community Housing Limited (CHL) and Alpha to deliver significant social and affordable housing at the former Amcor paper mill site redevelopment in Alphington.
- Being an inspiring leader on social justice issues including support for refugees and asylum seekers, rough sleepers and a voice for the underrepresented and disadvantaged.
Ms Vaidyanath will commence her new role in early 2022.
The Mayor and Councillors will appoint an interim CEO at Yarra by the end of the year.
