Council
2 September, 2024
Horsham Rural City Council CEO Sunil Bhalla resigns after six years
Horsham CEO leaves post after six years, plans to launch charity.
After more than six years of service, the Horsham Rural City Council has announced the departure of chief executive Sunil Bhalla.
Mr Bhalla and the Council mutually agreed to part ways, with Mr Bhalla citing a desire to spend more time with family and pursue new interests, including establishing a charity to support the welfare of young girls in rural India.
The departure will be effective as of Friday, September 6, and an open process to appoint an interim CEO is underway.
Mr Bhalla expressed pride in the work accomplished during his tenure, emphasising the progress made in building a forward-looking and inclusive organisation committed to delivering the best services to the Horsham community.
"I believe it's time for change. This provides the opportunity for the incoming Council to appoint a new CEO and continue the revitalisation of Horsham," Mr Bhalla said.
"I am very proud of the work my team and I have done in Horsham over the last six and a half years.
"We have been on a change journey to build a forward-looking and inclusive organisation with a culture of accountability and transparency, delivering the best value for our community.
Mr Bhalla expressed pride in the work accomplished during his tenure, emphasising the progress in building a forward-looking and inclusive organisation committed to delivering the best services to the Horsham community.
He also thanked the mayors, councillors, colleagues, and community partners for their support.
"Our staff are committed and passionate about their work, and despite the growing financial pressures, they work hard every day to deliver the best services to our community.
"I would like to thank the mayors (Cr Pam Clarke, Cr Mark Radford, and Cr Robyn Gulline) for their leadership, at times under very challenging circumstances.
"I admire their passion, commitment, and pursuit to get the best results for our community. I thank all the current and former Councillors that I have worked with for their support."
"I also want to thank my colleagues at numerous state government agencies, businesses, community groups, and our neighbouring councils who I have worked with for their support."
"I already had leave planned for September and October prior to the Council election. I might now make it a longer break before embarking on the next chapter.
"My wife and I have been working on a plan to set up a small charity to help girls from disadvantaged families in rural and remote communities in India with their education.
"I intend to now focus on launching our charity foundation."
Mayor Gulline thanked Mr Bhalla for his service and acknowledged his contribution during his time at Horsham.
"We greatly appreciate the expertise and knowledge that Sunil has brought to this organisation during his time at Council and wish him well in the future," Cr Gulline said.
"Under Sunil's leadership, we have seen remarkable progress in our infrastructure projects and community services that will have a lasting impact into the future."
"It is essential for our Wimmera Mallee region that Horsham is a progressive regional city that attracts investment and people through opportunities and liveability.
"Sunil's strong focus in this area has been instrumental in Council gaining funding for the delivery of generational projects."