Expense hike splits council

A SECRET working group’s decision to increase the hospitality expense allowance for committee chairs by up to 40 per cent has divided councillors.

The new reimbursement policy means incidental expenses for the Deputy Mayor will increase from $8000 to $9000, and councillors from $5000 to $5500. The Mayor’s expense limit will remain the same at $23,000.

But committee chairs will have their available expenses increased by up to 40 per cent to $8000 for official receptions.

Cr Crichlow told Mayor Tom Tate at a full council meeting last month it appeared a “working group” that had been approved for restructure of the council’s economic development department had increased by five councillors.

“It appears that has grown to 10 people on that working group. When was that adopted?” Cr Crichlow said.

Cr Tate told Cr Crichlow he would take her questions “on notice” about who was in the group.

Cr Crichlow yesterday told the Bulletin she had yet to get a response to questions about the working group.

Cr Crichlow said the allowance increase was directed to the committee chairs who were part of the Mayor’s working group.

“The council hasn’t endorsed any other working group. All the chairs and deputy chairs got the agenda sent to them,” she said.

Ten councillors voted for the new policy. It was opposed by Cr Crichlow, Cr Peter Young, Cr Glenn Tozer, Cr William Owen-Jones and Cr Daphne McDonald.

Cr Crichlow accused Cr Hermann Vorster of changing his position on the reimbursement policy after councillors in 2016 decided not to change the allowances until 2020.

“Now he’s on the working group he’s done a complete circle,” she said.

Cr Vorster admitted he had changed his position but that was due to State Government reforms on declarations on conflict of interest.

He took aim at Cr Peter Young, accusing him of accepting a higher salary in a previous council when chairing a committee. The remark sparked an exchange between Cr Young and Cr Caldwell about salary allowance.

Councillors supporting the new policy believe it will enable them to accept invitations to community events without organisers being placed in a difficult position, under new Government reporting conditions, of offering free hospitality.

Councillors could then later claim for legitimate hospitality to the set limit without being “out of pocket”.

The expenses cover buying coffee and food, a raffle ticket along with purchase of clothing for an event. They can be paid “on the way through” or the end of the council term.

Cr Caldwell spoke out after Cr Crichlow’s comments about the working group.

“It doesn’t matter how a document gets to this particular chamber. The ultimate decisionmaking body – working group, call it what you like – is all of us sitting here today,” he said.

Cr Young said a distinction had to be made between debate in a chamber and at a closed meeting.

“Here you may not be allowed a question. You may or may not have the opportunity to speak to a motion,” he said.

IT APPEARS THAT HAS GROWN TO 10 PEOPLE ON THAT WORKING GROUP. WHEN WAS THAT ADOPTED? COUNCILLOR DAWN CRICHLOW