DANIEL Watton is a family man, a businessman and dedicated to serving his community.
The 42-year-old from North Rothbury was recently appointed mayor of Cessnock City Council after a successful first term as a Ward C councillor.
The Newcastle Herald sat down with the fresh face in the mayoral seat to gauge what his plans and visions are for the second-fastest growing LGA in the state.
Cr Watton has a blend of business and community-focused experience as owner of Four Doors Services since 2021, working with young people to develop transferable skills for employment.
He also has over 15 years of experience in senior case management, allied health, and business management.
Running on council, he always knew he wanted to go down the independent route.
"It was important to me to go down grassroots government and come up that way," he said.
From running a business, raising five kids and being involved in community service, he said they were key elements in people voting for him in the recent election.
"I'm not groomed in any particular way. I'm a bit different, working with youth and being a business owner - I think if you combine it all that's what people saw and they liked that," he said.
"That's probably the biggest thing I ran off, that I was essentially endorsed by the community."
It was a historic win for the independent having succeeded Labor incumbent Cr Jay Suvaal in the mayoral race.
"You put a lot of time effort, energy and money into that process, and you may not win. It's a big gamble. The fact the community has put their trust in me, I take that very seriously," he said.
Cr Watton said working with the Hunter Joint Organisation on the Hunter Transmission Project, implementing public transport and creating an accessible and inclusive LGA are among his top priorities as mayor.
"On a more selfish level, I'm very motivated by family, I want to be connected to strong opportunities for young people and have a safe environment," he said.
With 97 per cent of the Cessnock population driving by car, he believes public transport is a must.
"By the end of my term I want to see some viable options for public transport established in the community," he said.
Cessnock has a population of 67,000 which is projected to double by 2041. Huntlee and North Rothbury are expected to be the size of Singleton by 2030.
Cr Watton wants to see path networks upgraded with accessible parks and amenities, along with upgraded sports and medical facilities in Cessnock and a high school at Huntlee. He also wants to lobby for an additional police presence and patrols.
"We're growing fast and if we don't get the right infrastructure in place, it's going to be a problem. I'll be hounding all levels of government to get some money into Cessnock," he said.
"I believe council is up to the challenge. We need to make sure we're getting our fair share.
"We're only a short drive from Newcastle, Cessnock needs to be destination number one."
