Alexandrina Council has appointed South Ward Councillor Peter Oliver to be the next Deputy Mayor for a 12-month term finishing on 30 November 2025.

Cr Oliver will replace current Deputy Mayor and South Ward Councillor Margaret Gardner, whose term ends on 30 November.

The council chooses to elect by secret ballot one of its elected members to the position of Deputy Mayor on an annual rotation basis.

An election was held during October’s council meeting, with two candidates nominated – Cr Oliver and Cr Lou Nicholson.

Alexandrina Mayor Keith Parkes has thanked Cr Gardner for her service over the past year. 

“Margaret has been an approachable, reliable and hard-working deputy who has stepped in to represent Alexandrina at many events, conferences and meetings over the past year,” he says.

“I welcome the opportunity to work with Cr Oliver in the ensuing 12 months. Deputy Mayor is a position of responsibility. 

“In my absence, the Deputy Mayor may act in the office of Mayor and carry out a range of functions, including presiding over meetings of Council, acting as the principal spokesperson of Council, providing advice to the Chief Executive Officer as required, representing Council at Civic and Ceremonial functions, and participating in key meetings with stakeholders.”

Cr Oliver is a member of the council’s Audit and Risk Committee, the Chief Executive Officer Selection Panel. the Chief Executive Officer Performance Management Panel, the South Australian Wooden Boat Festival Committee and the Community Wellbeing Grant Assessment Panel.

The allowance for a councillor who is a Deputy Mayor is $25,296 per annum.

Alexandrina Mayor Keith Parkes