At its ordinary meeting of council held on October 30th, 2019, in response to a Motion moved by Cr Russell Fitzpatrick, council resolved:
“That council staff only respond to the BVSRRA correspondence within the priorities of the Council’s resources and that any items requiring current or historical financial data be refused until council staff are in a position to reply.”
The above action was taken by council following a number of highly embarrassing incidents involving incorrect information pertaining to the council’s financial management & performance being published, including information in annual reports & financial statements authorised by council’s senior management & elected councillors.
The effect of the above sanction imposed on the BVSRRA by council has been that there are now eight requests for information outstanding, including one item that has been outstanding for 10 months, another for 13 months & a third for 17 months.
On May 20th, 2020, council placed its draft Operating Plan & Budget for 2020-2021 on Public Exhibition, calling for comments/submissions from residents & ratepayers.
The association has made a practice of preparing submissions in response to council’s requests & in-keeping with that practice wrote to council on May 25th seeking more detailed information in respect of the draft Operating Plan & Budget 2020-2021.
It is worth noting that all of the information requested by the association already existed & in its view, to provide same in response to its request should not have required more than 30 minutes effort by a competent junior clerk.
Needless to say, the association’s request was ignored which, in turn, prompted its decision not to to offer a submission on the draft Operating Plan & Budget 2020-2021.
On July 22nd, 2020, following mounting public concern over the financial health of the council, calls for an independent audit of its finances & numerous changes to the draft, council resolved to adopt its Operating Plan & Budget for 2020-2021.
While more than two months has passed since the draft Operational Plan & Budget was adopted, the information requested by the association has still not been forthcoming from council.
For its part, the association has every intention of scrutinising the information as soon as it is received & will this week make a formal GIPA Application which it believes will prompt its early release.
Following his election as Mayor last week, Cr Russell Fitzpatrick indicated that his number one priority is to address & resolve concerns around council’s financial standing, including completing the audit of council’s finances over the four year period of the current council.
While the association accepts Cr Fitzpatrick’s assurances in respect of council’s financial standing, it believes that he must move quickly to ensure that council’s senior management “gets the message” & does everything within its power to support his efforts.
Failure to do so will surely end in tears for all of us,
John Richardson
Secretary/Treasurer
Bega Valley Shire Residents & Ratepayers Association
Tel: 0264945669
Email: secretary@begavalleyshireratepayers.asn.au
Website: http://www.begavalleyshireratepayers.asn.au