New Council Members - Cr Ted Jennings and Cr Di Wilkins

Cr Ted Jennings | Cr Di Wilkins

Cr Ted Jennings

I wish to use this opportunity to introduce myself as the new Councillor for Eastwood and Glenunga. I thank all residents for putting their faith in myself to represent them for the next four years. I campaigned strongly on bringing community back to Burnside council, I’m humbled by the result.

My young family has lived on Sydney Street for 20 years, moving here when my youngest wasn’t even 12 months old. All three of my children were educated at Linden Park Primary School and are currently at Glenunga International (my youngest was part of the first intake of year 7s into high school). I’m pleased that all rode their push bikes to school. I recognise every push bike is one less car on the road and one more carpark for drivers.

Burnside council has a fabulous green canopy, when I ride home from the CBD on the hottest summer days, you can feel the temperature reduction as you leave the parklands and ride down streets that have 100-year-old trees planted on the verges. I often stand up for the trees which have no voice, being an executive committee member on the Adelaide Park Lands Association since 2015.

As block sizes get smaller and buildings get bigger, I see issues arising from on-street parking, waste management and the loss of our green canopy resulting in rising ambient heat.

When not working, you will find me riding pushbikes (for fun) up Burnside’s steepest hills. When the weather cools, I’ll be running up and down the same hills. I’ve run the Adelaide marathon and the Yurrebilla ultra marathon this year, sitting on the board of the South Australian Road Runners Club as the club's secretary.

When I join a Committee/Board and now Council, my mantra is to leave it in better shape than I found it.

Cr Di Wilkins

I am delighted to again be elected as the local representative on Burnside Council for the Ward of Eastwood and Glenunga. I thank everyone who has voted for me. I have lived in the Historic Area of Eastwood since moving from the mid-north of SA 20 plus years ago. We are a ‘connected local community’ who value the contribution and legacy of past residents who have kept these heritage homes intact for future generations.

I do also recognise the considerable contribution made by my previous Ward Councillor, Helga Lemon and thank her for her many years of friendship, service and commitment to our local community.

As your elected local representative and a lifelong member of the National Trust of SA, I will continue to be a strong and vocal advocate for the preservation of our built and cultural heritage. We have continued to witness the wanton destruction of our beautiful built and natural legacy from past generations. The sustainability and liveability of our character filled streets and established neighbourhoods must be treasured, preserved and conserved for all of our children.

My priorities for the next four years will be championing and improving traffic calming measures in Eastwood and Glenunga for pedestrian and cyclist road safety for all residents, young and old. As a committed gardener, respecting and beautifying our urban landscape, recreational and open spaces is a high priority for me. I would encourage all residents to maintain and take pride in their verges as they add beauty to the whole streetscape of Burnside.

Our local community plays a significant role in how we live our day-to-day lives and I cherish the valuable contribution made to our local community, of the Eastwood and Glenunga Community Centres, as they continue to provide varied opportunities for all residents.