By Alison Noonan
CASEY councillors and officers cost ratepayers more than $80,000 in travel and conference expenditure in the last financial year.
Councillors used the public purse to jet around the world, claiming trips to the United States, Canada, England and Dubai.
More than $44,000 was spent on fivestar accommodation, lunches, dinners, functions and taxi fares.
Springfield Ward councillor Ben Clissold was the biggest spender, racking up nearly $8000, including a $4700 trip to the US and Canada and a $3000 trip to England.
Brechin Ward councillor Angela Dunleavy came in a close second, spending just over $7000 travelling the UK, stopping in Dubai on the way.
Mayor Neil Lucas spent $7563 to follow in third, enjoying a few nights’ accommodation at the Crown Plaza hotel.
Former mayor Rob Wilson wined and dined his wife Heather on a number of occasions, costing ratepayers about $160.
Cr Wilson enjoyed a $50 lunch, stayed overnight at the Hilton on the Park hotel and spent $300 on petrol in East Timor.
It cost $150 for him to attend the 2004 Knox Mayoral Ball, $136 for the 2004 Shire of Yarra Ranges’ Mayoral Ball and $90 for the Narre Warren Football Club’s 50 year anniversary ball.
River Gum Ward councillor Wayne Smith’s ticket to the US cost more than $2500 while Mayfield Ward councillor Kevin Bradford’s conference travels added up to nearly $2000.
Balla Balla Ward councillor Colin Butler was the only Casey councillor not to accrue any travel or conference expenditure.
Meanwhile, council officers’ travels around Australia and to the USA cost $36,000.
Community Services Director Jennie Lee’s three trips to Canberra and Sydney cost almost $6000 while Infrastructure Services Director Ray Butler’s visits to Merimbula, Adelaide, Perth and Sydney cost more than $5500.
CEO Mike Tyler spent nearly $5000.
Mr Tyler said councillors were allocated $5000 each per year, with the mayor receiving an extra $5000.
He said some councillors struggled to keep within those amounts and would appreciate more.
“Many would like to be able to attend more conferences while some find it easy to keep within the budget.
“It comes back to different people having different needs.
“With a city of this size there is clearly a lot of demand on councillors, but the amount of expenditure is not generally about the size of the city,” he said.
Mr Tyler also confirmed that the mayor and councillors were not authorised to claim expenditures incurred by partners.
“It is difficult to rule a line but the general thrust is that if the mayor’s partner accompanies them to a conference it will not be funded by council.
“However they might be accompanied by a spouse for a formal occasion that is not part of a conference and council might pay for that,” he said.
