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Collapse Issue 471 - 10 Jun 2019Issue 471 - 10 Jun 2019
Collapse  NEWS NEWS
Fuel tanks to be replaced to remediate contamination
Council is 'more bureaucratic and less attentive'
Concrete burrows installed for penguin colony
Village resident celebrates 100th birthday
Tesch to continue to campaign for palliative care
Hamper donated to celebrate birthday
Community halls 'not commercial entities'
Peta Colebatch steps down after eight years
Three receive Queens Birthday honours
Small buses not suitable for Phegans Bay, residents told
Marquart attends fewest briefings of ward councillors
Application to construct new warehouse
Submissions to close on proposal next to St Luke's
'No tender' for Correa Bay boat ramp
Two local councillors claim no expenses
Water rates to drop from July
Collapse   NEWS NEWS
Councillors give themselves a pay rise
Collapse  NEWS NEWS
Sea Shepherd to clean Umina Beach
Chamber president welcomes Farnell Rd approval
Geoff Melville steps back from a lifetime of service
Rotary club hears about youth cottage
Bill would prohibit Woy Woy cash loan machine
Residents with stormwater issues invited to tell council
Italian theme day
Special lunch for volunteers at restaurant
Trainee named as finalist
Papua New Guinea lunch at CWA
Collapse  FORUM FORUM
Have efficiency and economies occurred?
Could some councillors up their work rate?
Living next to a weekend party house
Loud minority of older people take selfish attitude
Democratic representatives or government tools?
Decline in non-compliance is deemed to be acceptable
Collapse  HEALTH HEALTH
Defibrillators for Wagstaffe and Killcare
Memory walk for dementia body
Fundraising barbecue
Physiotherapist is outstanding employee finalist
Collapse  ARTS ARTS
Winners of music scholarship announced
Folk club puts on two events
Bays art show is planned for July
Colouring competition for aged care residents
Artist launches art classes for adults
Collapse  EDUCATION EDUCATION
Pretty Beach principal retires
Pacific island group at risk of collapse
Breakfast club to be extended
Three teams in cheer and dance finals
Arts students camp at Cockatoo Island
School reviews both winter and summer uniforms
First debates in debating challenge
Uniform shop seeks donations
Support unit students enjoy arboretum
New lambs at Umina campus
Rotary Club hears about mentoring program
Grant to install bush tucker garden and dreaming trail
Ettalong students take part in simultaneous storytime
Year 2 students visit zoo
Collapse  SPORT SPORT
Under-15s captain celebrates 150 games
Southern and Ettalong loses top spot on women's ladder
Woy Woy defeated by Hornsby in rugby union
Gold medal in vision-impaired games
Selected for junior squad
Soccer camp to be held in Woy Woy
Celebrating 50 years of Buckworth Shield
Basketball returns
Volunteers honoured

Two local councillors claim no expenses

Local ward councillors Cr Troy Marquart and Cr Richard Mehrtens have not claimed any expenses in the seven months from October 2018 to the end of April this year.

The third local councillor, Cr Chris Holstein, has claimed general travel expenses of $2928 and professional development expenses of $220.

The highest claimant was Gosford East Ward Cr Rebecca Gale Collins who claimed more than $8000 in total across seven categories including home office expenses, internet services and carer expenses.

Cr Mehrtens said he made the personal decision at this time not to seek expenses for costs he had incurred during his official duties.

Cr Marquart said the listed expenses for each councillor had been claimed and provided within the current rules.

"Each councillor has different needs, different lifestyles and very different expense claims,'' he said.

"I do not personally think that any issue exists within the current expense claim clarification table."

Cr Holstein said his general travel expenses were in accordance with council policy and related to his attendance at council meetings, briefings, advisory committee meetings, representing the mayor in his role as deputy and community events.

He said in the last 11months this had included 188 meetings/briefings /committees and 178 events including council events such as listening posts, cultural exhibitions or services.

"I record all my travel (vehicle travel log) for council, private and my part time employment.

"Since the start of this financial year I have travelled a total of nearly 17,000kms of which 57 per cent has been private or work related (NOT claimed), while 43 per cent of my travel is directly attributed to my role as councillor and deputy mayor (which is my claimed travel)," he said.

It states in the council papers that the report is published to "communicate openly and honestly with the community to build a relationship based on transparency, understanding, trust and respect".

Councillors can claim up to $12,500 a year in general travel expenses and another $15,000 per year for long distance travel expenses and another $500 per night for meals and accommodation.

They can claim for professional development of $12,000 per year and carer expenses of $8,000 per year as well as home office and internet expenses.





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