Council
19 December, 2025
Mayor to lead RCV
WARRNAMBOOL mayor Cr Ben Blain has been elected chair of Regional Cities Victoria.
Regional Cities Victoria (RCV) is a leadership group comprising the mayors and chief executive officers of the 10 largest cities outside Melbourne - Warrnambool, Ballarat, Bendigo, Horsham, Latrobe, Mildura, Shepparton, Wangaratta and Wodonga.
RCV advocates for the sustainable growth of Victoria’s regions and for policies and programs that help attract business investment and a diverse workforce to regional Victoria.
“I feel privileged to be chair of RCV for 2026,” Cr Blain said.
“Our collective strength makes us a strong voice for regional Victoria and a constructive policy partner of the Victorian Government.
“Each of the 10 cities face similar challenges relating to issues such as key worker housing shortages and the need for community infrastructure to keep pace with population growth.
“We’ll continue to advocate for regional prosperity. This is critical at a time where cost-of-living pressures are compounded by limited - and highly competitive - funding opportunities at a state level.”
Deputy chair of RCV in 2026 is Wodonga mayor Cr Michael Gobel.
