2022-08-09 Services & Organisation Committee Agenda

SERVICES & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                               9 AUGUST 2022


3     COUNCILLORS’ EXPENSES REIMBURSEMENT AND PROVISION OF FACILITIES
      POLICY

Author            Director Executive Services, Debra Iezzi
                  Executive Services Department

Index             ECM/Governance and Executive 27.95/Council Policies 27.48

Attachments       1.    Councillors’ Expenses Reimbursement and Provision of Facilities
                        Policy


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report recommends an amendment to the Councillors’ Expenses Reimbursement and
Provision of Facilities Policy to increase provisions under sections 2.1 Mandatory Professional
Development and 2.2 Discretional Professional Development & Representation as follows:
-     Increase the number of delegates to attend the LGAQ Annual Conference from 2
      delegates to 3 delegates (section 2.1); and
-     Increase the Councillors’ expenses limit for attendance at meetings, workshops, courses,
      seminars, and conferences to improve their skills or which are relevant to the role of
      councillor from $1,500 per year to $2,500 per year for the quadrennial term of office
      (section 2.2).

Section 252 (2) of the Local Government Regulation 2012 states that a local government may,
by resolution, amend its expenses reimbursement policy at any time. The Policy was last
reviewed by Council on 21 May 2020 following the quadrennial election in March 2020.

RECOMMENDATION
That Council note the report by the Director Executive Services to the Services & Organisation
Committee Meeting dated 9 August 2022 and adopt the updated Councillor’s Expenses
Reimbursement and Provision of Facilities Policy effective from 1 July 2022, provided at
Attachment 1 to the report.

REPORT
Section 250 of the Local Government Regulation 2012 requires that Council adopt an expenses
and reimbursement policy.
Councillors are entitled to be reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred while undertaking
Council business and will be provided with Council owned assets to assist in undertaking their
duties in accordance with this Policy.
Background
Pursuant to section 250 of the Local Government Regulation 2012 (LGR), a local government
has the power to, and must adopt an expenses reimbursement policy. Section 249 of the LGR
defines an ‘expenses reimbursement policy’ as a policy providing for the following:
(a)   Payment of reasonable expenses incurred, or to be incurred, by Councillors for
      discharging their duties and responsibilities as Councillors.
(b)   Provision of facilities to Councillors for that purpose.
The policy provided at Attachment 1 is an updated version of the Councillors’ Expenses and
Reimbursement Policy adopted by Council on 21 May 2020. All proposed changes are shown
in track changes format. It is fair and appropriate that Councillors are reimbursed for all

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