Former City of South Perth councillor Betty Skinner honoured with plaque along foreshore

FORMER City of Melville employee and City of South Perth councillor Betty Skinner has been honoured with a plaque on the South Perth foreshore.

A ceremony took place on Wednesday afternoon during which Mrs Skinner’s family, friends and former colleagues gathered to pay their respects.

The idea to place the plaque on a bench at the scenic location came from the City of South Perth Residents Association and was made possible through the council.

Mrs Skinner worked with the City of Melville as the personal assistant to the chief executive and rose to the role as a senior administration officer and she served as a City of South Perth Mill Point Ward councillor between 2009 and 2013.

She helped establish the Wireless Hill Museum and she was involved in a number of organisations such as the Mill Point Rotary Club, South Perth Historical Society, Old Mill Theatre Company and South Perth Learning Centre before her death in 2016.

Mrs Skinner’s son Michael McLerie said it was a huge honour for the family to have the plaque unveiled.

“I know my mother would be humbled by the appreciation,” he said.

“She always worked for the community as a councillor and gave herself to the people living in the Mill Point Ward.

“My mother always worked hard, even as a single mother of two boys and she was a great role model.”

City of South Perth Mayor Sue Doherty, City of Melville councillor June Barton, Mill Point Rotary Club representative Warren McCamey and Mr McLerie made speeches on the day.