Meet A Council Candidate – Ryan Deale

In the lead up to the 2021 NSW Local Government election on Saturday 4th September, we are profiling members of the community who have declared their intention to run as a candidate for the Yass Valley Council. Our candidate this week is Ryan Deale.

Tell us a little bit about yourself
I’ve been living in Binalong with my wife, Alison, and kids for around five years now. We enjoy the country lifestyle, being part of a small community and getting to know everyone, and we are also not far away from major centres like Canberra.

I am also a small business owner. I own “Get First Aid”, which does everything from providing first aid training and assessment to event medical services and other support. We also retail first aid kits and supplies for workplaces to ensure they are compliant with OHAS obligations. The company has really expanded: we have 30 staff and are growing!

Why are you running for Council?
I’m running because I believe that small towns are underrepresented on the Yass Valley Council. I’m also a younger person and a small business owner, and therefore bring a unique perspective to the table.

What are the issues of main concern to Yass Valley residents?
A lot of people have been talking to me about the upgrade needed to Comur Street, the main street in Yass. We also must address road safety in rural communities as well as the water issue. The Council website also needs to be fixed. The average age in the Yass Valley is 40 years. This means that we have an ageing population, and not everyone is computer savvy. We need to communicate in different ways to encourage all members of the community to have a say.

How can people get in touch with you about their concerns?
People can come along to the Bowning Progress Committee meeting in August or to the Binalong Progress Committee. They can also contact me through social media, or catch me when I’m in town.

• Topics:

• Local Council
• People