My brochure from the 2021 local government elections included the text below.
Lennons are still working to preserve Ku-ring-gai
I will be accessible. I will listen to you and your views.
I will put residents in control.
About Simon Lennon
Personal
Married to Alicia since 1994, 6 children
Resident of Gordon since 1997
BSc (Syd), LLB (Syd), MCom (NSW), MBA (Macq), FGIA, FCG
Corporate lawyer (retired June 2021), company secretary, consultant, writer
All children attended Gordon Community Preschool
All children attended Gordon East Public School
4 children attended Killara High School, youngest now in Year 11
All sons were in Scouts and all daughters were in Girl Guides
All sons played soccer with Gordon Soccer Club
Youngest daughter played netball with St Ives Netball Club
Son of Richard Lennon, Ku-ring-gai alderman 1974-1991, mayor for 7 years
Community Involvement
East Gordon Neighbourhood Watch, area co-ordinator, 1999-2001
Neighbourhood Watch, volunteer since 2001, media since May 2021 (Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Post, Sydney Observer)
2nd Gordon Scouts, trustee 2006-2010, leader 2010-2012
Gordon Community Preschool, board member, 2009
Killara High School, parent representative, hiring selection panel, since 2013, parents co-ordinator Year 12, 2020 and Year 11, 2021
St John’s Anglican Church, Gordon, Anniversary Fete committee 2007-2012, Lifeline Food Bank Drive committee 2009, sidesman since 2016
Sir Garfield Barwick Address Foundation, trustee, since 2016
Liberal Party
Member, including Young Liberals, since 1988
President, Killara branch, since 2001
The Liberal Party does not endorse candidates for Ku-ring-gai Council
Policies
We want Ku-ring-gai Council to:
- preserve Gordon Bowling Club and other recreational land in public use
- keep Gordon Golf Course in public use beyond the current agreement
- revive Marian Street Theatre, Killara
- maintain 4 public libraries, plus library home services
- prefer Ku-ring-gai residents in new staff hiring, all else being equal
- prefer Ku-ring-gai suppliers, all else being equal
- prefer Australian-made supplies, all else being equal
- focus upon repairs and maintenance of existing roads, paths, and parks
- continue expanding recycling options in waste collection
- after resident addresses to council, allow time for questions and comment
- within 1 week after resident addresses to council, provide staff responses
The Culture of Council
- Councillors should always be courteous.
- If elected, Simon Lennon will reach out to every councillor across Ku-ring-gai, seeking good relationships across council.
- Council ought to be the Council of the Ten: all 10 ward councillors including the mayor acting as a collegial body of municipal leaders.
- Each pair of ward councillors should consult on ward-specific issues, ideally presenting a common view to other councillors.
- Community groups should be briefed on significant proposals,
with opportunities to meet with senior council staff. - Civic receptions can bring together community groups and civic leaders with councillors and senior council staff, developing relationships.
- Policies, not personalities, matter.
Curbing Development
We want Ku-ring-gai Council to:
- preserve fine old homes
- preserve the character of Ku-ring-gai homes, streets, and spaces
- minimise new building heights, ideally to a maximum of 4 storeys
- strive to minimise the requirements for high density housing that state governments impose, without exceeding them
- separate its interests as property owner from decisions as regulator
- not cater to developer demands at residents’ expense
- provide clarity, certainty, and openness in planning and tender requirements
- consider measures for beauty and architectural style, such as brick or stone in place of glass, steel, or concrete façades
To save Ku-ring-gai and the rest of Sydney from choking, Ku-ring-gai needs to:
- co-operate with like-minded people, bodies, and councils across Sydney
- engage with state and federal politicians to limit new housing demands
We oppose:
- rezoning public recreational land to residential use, because people need ground nearby, children need places to play
- sales of public land or other assets to fund ordinary council operations
- demolishing council-bought homes on Dumaresq Street, Gordon except for a park
- council acting as property developer or taking development risk
- the race to the sky in developments across Sydney, because squeezing more and more people into a city ruins the city for everyone
- forced amalgamation of Ku-ring-gai with any other local government area