STEPPING into his first full term as ward councillor for Ward 64, Norman Gilbert is ready to hit the ground running. The ward councillor was elected Ward 64 councillor in a by-election in September 2025 and has since developed a greater understanding of the community.

Also read: New Ward 68 councillor aims to restore and rebuild

The community’s voice

Gilbert said that being re-elected to serve a full term was truly more special than the by-election selection.

“I am eager to hit the ground running and build on the foundation we laid over the past twelve months,” he said. 

Priorities

Gilbert said that entering this full term he has several non-negotiable priorities:

• By-law enforcement and urban planning integrity: Stopping unlawful industrial creep threatening our residential suburbs, most critically in Sea View; actively enforce the spatial framework and prevent residential properties from being illegally converted into industrial truck stops and staging yards; and crack down on dishonest developers exploiting planning loopholes. Building inspectorate oversight must ensure structures strictly adhere to approved plans, preventing deliberate deviations. This exploitation of our suburbs stops now.
• Basic service delivery and public spaces: A clean, well-maintained ward is a basic right. Gilbert said they will maintain relentless pressure on municipal departments to upkeep public open spaces, clear verges and restore non-functioning streetlights, which remain an unacceptable security hazard across the ward.
• Infrastructure protection and grid stability: Working proactively with electricity, as well as water and sanitation, is vital. Gilbert said they need focused interventions to stabilise the local power network, secure substations and clamp down on the rampant theft of cables and fuses that constantly disrupts households and local businesses.

A thriving community

Gilbert believes that change will not happen overnight and will require a lot of hard work, but the vision for the community has been laid out and grounded in accountability.

“I look forward to serving you with integrity, energy, and determination over the next five years,” he said.

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