City budget advice: Reveal wards’ shares

By Cherie Donnellan
REVEALING budget funding for wards would make Surf Coast council “more transparent”, according to a Geelong councillor.
Andy Richards and Geelong Mayor John Mitchell praised the city’s detailing of ward funding after Surf Coast councillors rejected a proposal to adopt the procedure at their last meeting.
Cr Joe Remenyi unsuccessfully put a motion to “recast” council’s 2012/2013 budget itemising funding for each ward after a municipal restructure introduces wards later this year.
Cr Remenyi launched an email campaign telling residents that revealing allocations to wards would address “questions of equity in spending and revenue-raising”.
The budget favoured Torquay too heavily, he said.
Councillors voted down Cr Remenyi’s motion six to one.
Cr Richards said if Surf Coast Shire were to adopt a ward structure “it will by its nature make things more transparent”.
Councils needed “local champions” to fight for particular community issues, he said.
“As a councillor for Barwon Heads and southern Geelong, I try to champion my area. I believe it gets its fair share of funding that way.”
Cr Mitchell said itemising ward funding allowed ratepayers to know “where” money went.
Geelong’s policy created a “good relationship” with the community and ensured “fairness”, he said.
Geelong’s council had document its budget data since he was first elected eight years ago.
“Our system has been very transparent for eight years I’ve been here,” Cr Mitchell said.
Lorne Community Association president Peter Spring said the issue was a case of déjà vu because the town’s last councillor, Nelson English, had also called for transparency on funding.
“He fought very hard for transparency within the shire so we could tell what Lorne was contributing and receiving. Eight years on Cr Remenyi has met fierce opposition from fellow councillors for the same thing.”
Mr Spring said smaller towns like Lorne received “extremely low” capital works funding compared to places such as Torquay.
“The fact you can’t get information on community-by-community basis is not a sign of open and accountable governance.”