By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
A State Government appointed monitor – at a cost of up to $40,000 – to oversee Casey council’s governance for at least two months is an “absolute waste of ratepayers’ money”, says Mayor Sam Aziz.
The municipal monitor was appointed in the wake of a damning Victorian Ombudsman’s report into the council’s special charge scheme against 37 residents to seal Market Lane in Narre Warren South.
Mayor Sam Aziz said the monitor’s cost was “hugely disproportionate” to the $2204 interest that had been over-charged to Market Lane residents.
“This is such a disproportionate response it calls the judgement of (Local Government Minister Natalie Hutchins) into doubt, unless it is simply political payback for council’s and my outspokenness against State Government waste … or denial of a rate cap variation for Casey.”
Cr Aziz said the council had already implemented five recommendations from the Ombudsman’s report, including tackling its over-reliance on decisions being made in closed meetings.
He said Ms Hutchins relied on an “out of date” figure of 37 per cent of decisions made in closed council in 2014-15.
The figure had reduced to 25 per cent in 2015-16 – “comfortably” within the Government’s 30 per cent benchmark, Cr Aziz said.
“As far as implementing the recommendations of the Ombudsman, council has already done it.
“It doesn’t need a municipal monitor coming up to $40,000 to Casey ratepayers to confirm this.”
He said Casey had also achieved above the state average on all measures of the latest annual Community Satisfaction Survey.
Casey Residents and Ratepayers Association spokesman Brendan Browne said the monitor was an “astute investment”.
“Paying up to $40,000 for a monitor will possibly be the best money the Casey Council has ever spent.
“This is a wasteful, secretive, unprofessional council that needs to be cleaned up.”
Mr Browne said Cr Aziz wanted to “pay back the money it wrongfully ripped off residents and pretend that the whole thing never happened”.
“The issue is much bigger than this.
“When the Ombudsman concludes that the council acted in ways that were contrary to the law, then we can’t all just pretend there is nothing to look at.”
A Market Lane resident, who didn’t wish to be identified, told Star News that the monitor was a justified move.
“It’s only for up to three months and I think someone should look at the way they do things.”
The council had been criticised in the Ombudsman’s report on 22 June for using a closed council meeting in 2014 to increase interest rates on the Market Lane special charge.
The affected residents were not given prior notice or the opportunity to object to the rise in rate from 4.25 per cent to 7.5 per cent.
Most of the affected property owners were against the charge – initially between $15,000-$20,000 each, plus interest on a 15-year instalment plan.
As a result of the interest change, the amount payable increased by 23 per cent, the Ombudsman’s report stated.
