Ron Ashenden, newly-appointed development officer for the District Councils of Peterborough, Mt Remarkable, Flinders Ranges and Orroroo-Carrieton, believes that, after 25 years of experience within Local Government and the private sector, despite the title on his job description, he remains simply “an old-fashioned building inspector”.

He handles building and development applications in addition to administering a variety of Acts locally, including the Development Act 1993 and the Housing Improvement Act 1940.

Mr Ashenden, who replaces Frank Endemann in the development officer’s role, began on August 4, and recently worked for Moira Shire Council in Victoria, also serving in Naracoorte-Lucindale, and the former Distgrict Council of Minlaton – where he said he performed every conceivable duty from Building Inspector to dog-catching.

He has also served time as an elected representative – being a former councillor for Port Adelaide.

Determined to help ratepayers as much as possible, Mr Ashenden said that residents in any of the four council districts he serves merely need to pick up the phone or call in and he can provide the assistance and advice they require regarding planning and development approvals – but warns that he doesn’t’t tolerate, or permit, work that doesn’t’t meet legislative requirements. So jerry-builders beware!

Mr Ashenden anticipates that his time between the four councils will be allocated as was Mr Endemann’s, with Peterborough receiving his services for 1½ days per week, Mt Remarkable two days, a day at Flinders Ranges and a half-a-day at Orroroo.

“I look forward to working with the teams within the four councils.” Mr Ashenden said.

Coincidentally, Mr Ashenden was born in Peterborough, his parents working on a pastoral property in the District.

Married to Michele, with a son Logan, Mr Ashenden includes fishing and outdoor activities among his interests.

He also says that people will be seeing a great deal of him. “I intend to make this my last move before retirement some years away and I am going to stay in the region. I am not going anywhere,” he said.

BEWARE...Bodgey builders beware! Newly-appointed development officer Ron Ashenden says that although he considers himself “just an old-fashioned building inspector”, he is intolerant of poorly-executed and unauthorised work.