August 28, 2014
South Burnett councillors voted to reduce their statutory expense allowances at Wednesday’s monthly meeting.
Under the Local Government Regulation 2012, all councils are required to maintain a policy for “the payment of reasonable expenses that councillors incur for discharging their duties and responsibilities”.
For councillors, this is limited to a monthly phone allowance ($100 a month for councillors; $208 a month for the Mayor); a monthly motoring allowance ($170 a month plus a fuel card for councillors); meals expenses (a total of $120 a day covering breakfast, lunch and dinner allowances) if they have to travel on official Council business; car parking costs and road tolls; and an annual “hospitality allowance” for Council-approved functions ($500 per councillor per year, $2000 per year for the Mayor).
All out-of-pocket expenses have to be receipted.
The Council’s current Expenses Reimbursement Policy for councillors was adopted in May 2012, but at this month’s meeting councillors were told changes in legislation and other contemporary standards within the local government industry sector meant some changes needed to be made.
Councillors replaced the 2012 policy with an updated one that increased their dinner allowance from $55 to $60 but eliminated an “Incidentals Allowance” of $20 per day intended to cover any incidental expenses incurred when councillors were required to travel, and were away from home overnight, on official Council business.
All other allowances remained unchanged from 2012.
The new policy also includes a responsibility clause which makes councillors fully accountable for the accuracy of each claim.
The motion to adopt the new policy was passed unanimously.
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Council has accepted a request to waive $1157 in building application fees lodged by the South Burnett Senior Citizens Welfare Association.
The fees applied to building extensions which will extend Kingaroy Senior Citizens Centre’s day respite facility and provide additional office space.
In line with normal policy, the $168 building lodgement fee will not be waived.
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The South Burnett Regional Council has approved its own application for a material change of use of its property at 7-33 Hodges Road and two adjoining lots in River Road, Kingaroy.
The application was lodged as a first step to upgrading the town’s Wastewater Treatment Plant and is subject to normal development conditions.
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Council also approved the reconfiguration of a lot at 27 Harchs Road in Booie into two lots – one of 5.8ha, and the other of 57ha.
The smaller lot contains the owner’s house, a dam, associated outbuildings and farmstay cottages, while the larger lot is primarily used for grazing.
Council officers offered no objection to the application, subject to usual conditions. Councillors agreed with their assessment.
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Council’s Arts, Culture and Heritage Committee has approved five grant applications for Round 1 of the 2014/15 RADF program.
The successful applicants were:
- South Burnett Chorale – $5230 to stage the ANCA “Big Sing”
- Robyn Dower – $990 for “A Sense Of Wonder” community projects
- QRRRWN – $1800 to run a photography weekend workshop in the Bunya Mountains
- South Burnett Woodcrafters – $1060 for a workshop on intricate scroll saw work
- Nanango Art Society – $6240 for Nanango Art Fest workshops
The RADF committee is also seeking nominations to replace outgoing committee member Sue Beyer; and has been advised by Arts Queensland that new guidelines and application forms for the RADF program will be introduced in 2015.
The committee will hold its next meeting on Thursday, November 6, to assess Round 2 grant applications.
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Marilyn and Robert Shackle have taken over as the new caretakers at Boondooma Homestead.
They began duties after the recent Scots In The Bush Festival held at the Homestead on August 16-17 and will sign a tenancy agreement with Council.
The Council has also advised the Boondooma Homestead Management Advisory Committee that the Homestead’s overall budget for 2014-15 is $14,810, exclusive of restoration works at the property.
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Council amended its 2014-15 capital works budget at this month’s meeting, adding $10,398,193 to it.
The transfer accounts for “carryover” projects which were yet to be completed when this year’s Budget was handed down, such as Wondai’s Village Green; a weather forecasting station at Kingaroy Airport; roof repairs at Nanango’s Ringsfield House; finalisation of Murgon’s skate park; and similar items.
All carryover projects were fully funded in the 2013-14 Budget and will have no impact on the current year’s Budget.
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A tender to carry out remediation works at Gordonbrook Dam as part of the 2013 Flood Restoration Program has been awarded to Civil Mining and Construction Ltd. Their successful bid was $1,265,064.
And local engineering firm Robert Zelinski Civil Construction has been awarded a tender for the Levers Road Realignment at Tableland. Their successful bid was $421,901.
The Council has also accepted a bid for 150 megalitres of water from Gordonbrook Dam to supply a local piggery.
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An energetic debate erupted at Wednesday’s Council meeting when councillors were asked to decide whether they should close all Council’s offices and libraries for two weeks over the Christmas-New Year period or – as was the case last year – keep the Kingaroy office open with a skeleton staff.
Council officers had suggested Council close all its offices and depots on Friday, December 19, and re-open them on Monday, January 5.
SBRC CEO Ken McLoughlin advised councillors the Kingaroy office had received 108 calls during last year’s Christmas break but added that most were from residents enquiring about whether or not their garbage would be collected over the festive season.
Councillors debated the pros and cons of a full two-week closure against last year’s solution for several minutes before deciding to “conference” on the issue and bring a final decision back to next month’s meeting.
