Bendigo teacher and community worker Tim Bardsley has announced he will run as an Australian Greens candidate in next month’s council election.
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Mr Bardsley – who stood for the seat of Bendigo East in the 2010 state election – will run in the Eppalock ward.
The 35-year-old moved to Bendigo to study at La Trobe University in the 1990s and said he “fell in love” with the city.
“Bendigo is a fantastic place to live, and we can continue to make it an even better place to live,” Mr Bardsley said.
“These are exciting times for Bendigo, there are so many opportunities for business and community growth, and ecologically responsible development, but there are challenges ahead too.”
Mr Bardsley, a father of three, cited the controversial Aspinall Street development in Golden Square as something he was keen to avoid if elected to council.
“Genuine consultation between community groups and developers early on, to avoid the kinds of bun fights we’ve seen over Aspinall Street, and currently out at Axe Creek, would be good,” he said.
“These disputes are time consuming and expensive for everyone, so lets involve people from the community and take notice of them from the beginning.”
Mr Bardsley said he was also in favour of an independent review of council finances.
“I would like to see an independent review of the council books so that we, the citizens of Bendigo, can have confidence in the future planning and budgeting of council.”
Mr Bardsley said he would be holding regular “Talk to Tim” sessions in the lead-up to the election, starting with a stall outside Strath Village on Saturday from 9am.