Councillors will be reimbursed for travel expenses from their registered residential address at the time they're elected after changes to Weddin Shire Council's councillor expenses and facilities policy.
Travel expenses were the focus of discussions when Weddin Shire Council's Draft Councillor Expenses and Facilities Policy came to the ordinary monthly meeting on Thursday, 16 October.
Councillors were in August asked to update the policy, which references monetary amounts, rates and allowances, to take into consideration amendments by the Local Government Remuneration Tribunal and council annual operating budget for the 2025/2026 financial year.
They also introduced a clause that stipulated the council would only pay councillors' travel expenses - to attend meetings - from the shire boundary.
That clause became the focus of public submissions when the policy was placed on public exhibition, with three submissions addressing it.
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The first submission asked that the clause be deleted from the Policy being in breach of the Local Government Act and contrary to the Guidelines issued by the Office of Local Government.
This submission highlighted that the draft policy seeks to limit the amount of travel expenses paid to a councillor to a distance calculated from shire boundary and not all councillors live within the boundary, and that the OLG guidelines provision is for a councillor to be reimbursed for actual expenses incurred when undertaking their civic duties.
In response, Council staff added background comments and information stating the OLG guidelines do not specify specific levels, rates or standards for the provision of expenses and facilities to councillors, and the guidelines also refer to participation, equity and access.
"The intention of clause 6.7(K) of the current and draft amended Councillor Expenses and Facilities Policy is to limit travel expenses for councillors so that they will only be payable for cost incurred to attend official business from within the Shire boundaries," Council comment read.
"Given that clause 6.7(k) would apply to all Councillors, it is not considered that clause is discriminatory, inequitable or in breach of the Guidelines."
The second submission argued that the clause 6.7(K) be amended to 'Travel expenses will be paid to the Councillor from their residential address as registered at the time of their election to Council, and for their term of Office.'
"This seems to me to be a fair and equitable solution to the concerns Councillors have raised regarding expenses," the submission noted.
The third submission to Council on Clause 6.7(K) was a petition signed by 45 people which objected to councillors getting reimbursed for travelling to a council meeting at the shire chambers or villages.
Councillor Parlett acknowledged in the meeting that she had had concerns about the earlier version of the policy.
"I don't want us to be seen as Councillors and a Council that stops in the future people with limited resources putting their hand up to be a Councillor because we have a demographic of different incomes and states of wellbeing," she said.
"We need representation from all groups."
But Councillor Simon Rolls said the removal of clause K altogether would open the door to too big of an unknown.
Cr John Niven moved an amendment to remove item 6.7(K) from the Draft Councillor Expenses and Facilities Policy.
After a lengthy debate, this amendment was voted against.
Cr Montgomery also made a motion that travel expenses will be paid to Councillors from the residential address as registered at the time of their election to Council and for the term of their office.
This motion was passed after a discussion on it.
