Council debates education allowance

By Jim Mynard
CASEY Council has continued its long debate about the generous education and training allowance afforded to councillors.
The allowance, unpopularly dubbed the ‘travel allowance’ was again aired during the Tuesday, 16 May council meeting.
Springfield Ward councillor Lorraine Wreford moved that a report before the council be noted, but Four Oaks Ward councillor Paul Richardson and Mayfield Ward councillor Steve Beardon wanted the money diverted to communitytype activities.
Balla Balla Ward councillor Colin Butler said individual councillors should be allowed to decide where their allocation was spent and said his number one promise before being elected was that he would not travel.
This brought a sharp response from Cr Wreford, who said the debate was not about travel but education and training.
Cr Butler said, “I’m sorry, the names been changed”.
Cr Wreford said training and education was an important facet of being a councillor.
“We don’t know it all and there are many ways that we can increase our education,” she said.
“It is important to encourage councillors to use their allowance in order that they perform better.
“To allocate unspent education and training allowance goes against council policy where unspent money on ward projects goes back into general revenue.”
Edrington Ward councillor Mick Morland said the allowance was generous, but councillors who did not use it should not be allowed to use the money for their own ward projects.
He said this was no different to retaining unspent funds on ward projects for those wards.
The council decided to amend its training and education policy to allow membership of an organisation that provided access to training or seminars relevant to the role of a councillors.
The council must approve the membership.
Unused money from the allowances will be returned to general revenue.