Mayor puts stop to degree funding

MAYOR Tom Tate has successfully stripped councillor Glenn Tozer of a council allowance to complete a business degree, saying it “did not pass the pub test”.

Cr Tate raised the issue at full council and gained majority support from councillors despite several colleagues backing the Mudgeerababased councillor.

Councillor Tate told councillors that the study of the MBA course at Bond University should not be reimbursable expenditure under the provisions for the Mayor and councillors.

His motion said council had not approved the MBA as outlined in an email from CEO Dale Dickson in November last year and asked for the policy to be reviewed.

After Cr Tozer chose to remove himself from the chamber, colleagues Dawn Crichlow and Peter Young began asking a series of questions of the Mayor and CEO.

Cr Tate said the intent of the policy was to help councillors attend conferences or obtain qualifications like first aid.

Mr Dickson, under questioning by Cr Crichlow, recalled two other councillors in previous administrations had received financial assistance for academic study.

“I think we should look at that first before saying no to it. It was under policy,” Cr Crichlow said.

Cr Tate said the policy provided for $2600 but the request for expenditure was more than double that amount.

Cr Tozer, when asked about costs, said the Mayor was “incorrect”. However, Cr Tate later provided a document outlining a $6900 bill for a sixmonth period which proved he was correct.

Cr Tozer said he did not believe he was “doing anything out the ordinary” and considered the course at a local university was of more value than taking conference trips.

Cr Tate said in a statement that funding Cr Tozer’s study “did not pass the pub test”.

“This has nothing to do with Cr Tozer and everything to do with ensuring ratepayers’ funds are not wasted,” he said.

“Ratepayers forking out for a councillor to do an MBA doesn’t pass the pub test.”