By Parramatta Advertiser, 15 February 2010

LORD Mayor Paul Garrard was lambasted by fellow councillors on Monday night for pushing ahead with Parramatta having a popularly elected mayor without their input.

Cr Garrard came under heavy fire as he presented the findings of a residents’ survey which showed that 64 per cent of respondents wanted to have a mayor elected by the people for four years rather than each year by councillors.

Parramatta Advertiser, 9 October 2009

By Di Bartok

AN EXASPERATED shop owner has made a plea to Parramatta Council to clean up the problem of drug and alcohol users driving away her customers.

The shop owner said another business in East Parramatta shopping strip had been held up at knife point and she had had to lock up her shop at times.

Parramatta Advertiser, 8 October 2009

By Di Bartok

PARKING officers are set to become city ambassadors in Parramatta in a major turnaround of their role.

It is all about goodwill over revenue-grabbing, Lord Mayor Paul Garrard told the Advertiser.

Parramatta Sun, 7 October 2009

Parramatta's newly elected Lord Mayor Cr Paul Garrard called on the State Government to ensure a sustainable ferry service is established for the capital of western Sydney.

Reports that more than 50 ferry runs between Parramatta and the City were cancelled every month due to tidal restrictions only highlighted the unsuitability of Sydney Ferries' RiverCat fleet.

Parramatta Sun, 7 October 2009

By Liam Pender

AFTER being elected Lord Mayor last Wednesday, Paul Garrard said it was time for Parramatta to "grow up" and act like a big city.

"We want to be the capital of western Sydney," he said.

The election was a smooth one due to a power sharing deal between Liberals and Independents at Parramatta Council that had guaranteed Garrard his fifth term in office months ago.