Mayor Mark Radford to end time on Horsham Rural City Council at October election

With each challenge, he has looked to the council's budget to provide solutions.

It is these budgets that the three-time mayor is proudest of, as he prepares to end his time as a councillor after next month's Local Government Elections.

"It is important the council budget reflects the times, so it's been a privilege to be part of 12 budgets which have made an impact across our community," he said.

"In 2009, '10 and '11, rate increases were up around seven or eight per cent. You might think 'they were hard times', but those funds were put aside for projects including the (Town Hall) performing arts centre and infrastructure gap work. No one likes paying rates, (but) putting aside funds that way is something council can do that the whole community is part of.

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"The challenging situation now is that has largely been taken away from councils with the rate capping environment. This year, we asked ourselves 'In order for the community to benefit long-term, how can we use the opportunity to do something special and unique?'

"That's why the two per cent rate increase is in there, and it has given us an opportunity to set aside $484,000 towards supporting business and community groups.

An electrician by trade, Cr Radford was elected to the council in 2008, and said he had been on the fence about seeking a fourth term until recently.

"It has been a great life experience, but I think with our family situation and getting a bit older there are a few other things I'd like to do," he said.

"I did the training for the new council, and I had a chat about it with a few friends, and this is the decision I've made."

Cr Radford, of Quantong, thanked his family for their support across his time on the council. He has three children that live in Ballarat and Bendigo, and welcomed his first grandchild, Elsie, back in June.

Cr Radford said Horsham had begun its transition from a large country town into a small regional city during his time as a councillor. He said it was "for other people to judge" whether the municipality was in a better place now than when he was first elected.

"The best thing the current council has done is the hard yards when it comes to planning," he said. "Our previous chief executive highlighted the fact Horsham was behind in its strategic planning work, and I think this group will be best remembered for that."

Cr Radford said he hoped the new council could make progress on modernising Horsham's sporting facilities.

He said the state government had funded a feasibility study on where indoor and outdoor sports precincts should be located in the city.

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