The Ballarat doctor, who was mayor from 2011 to 2012, confirmed he will stand for the Central Ward at the council election in October. Dr Harris said parking issues, including the council’s failure to implement its CBD parking strategy from 2012, had increasingly frustrated him as a resident.

“We’ve been let down by the fact there has been inaction,” he said.

“Similarly, if you looked at extent of rates going up, then I have to say I’m a rates cap advocate. In our current economy as it is, we don’t need a section like our local government going above inflationary rate.”

But it was Dr Harris’s view the council was running the city into debt due to funding new infrastructure for developments in the region’s west which sparked his action. 

“I think it’s wrong that the city is running into debt over the next few years based on the need to fulfil that development requirement,” he said.

“While issues like this may not be in the front of everybody’s minds, in my view they are indicative of a council that is not functioning well.”  

Another priority was improving Ballarat’s water cycle management and flood mitigation.

“The council needs to brought screaming and kicking into a dynamic where they understand the importance of better using our water,” Dr Harris said.