Independent Cessnock Councillor Ian Olsen will ask council to donate the cost of him and his wife to attend council’s Christmas function to charity, calling it a waste of ratepayer money.
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Cr Olsen will make the request in a notice of motion to fellow councillors at Wednesday night’s meeting.
A vocal critic of pre-meeting dinners for councillors on the ratepayer’s dollar, Cr Olsen said he didn’t think council should spend the money on a Christmas function when it could be spent on other things in the community.
Cessnock Council allocates $31,700 to cater for about 45 council meetings and council briefings throughout the year, which includes the cost of the councillor Christmas function.
- Related: Councillor raises budget concerns
A council spokesperson said the Christmas function, which will be held at Pokolbin’s Ben Ean restaurant, was an opportunity to thank councillors for their contribution and their families for their support.
But Cr Olsen said he believed he should have a choice in how his share is spent.
“It doesn’t seem fair when we put up rate increases,” Cr Olsen said. “It’s putting your nose in the trough a bit too much.”
In his motion he has asked for the money to go to Diabetes Australia as his son has been diagnosed with the condition.
“Or if not, they can find another charity,” he said. “There are so many people out there that have a charity to give it to.”
It doesn’t seem fair when we put up rate increases.
- Cr Ian Olsen
In 2017, Cr Olsen requested at the year’s final council meeting that his share of the function money be donated to the Little Stroke Warriors as his grandson had suffered a stroke hours after birth.
But the request was turned down as he needed to put up a motion in advance, which he has done this year.
However, Cr Olsen was not confident his fellow councillors would support his motion. “I’m hoping someone will at least second it so it can be debated,” he said.
Cr Olsen said he doesn’t attend the dinners before council meetings, and won’t go to the Christmas function regardless of whether his motion is approved.
“I don’t believe we should be crying poor and asking for ratepayers to pay extra so we can spend it on food and drinks,” he said. “We get an allowance to cover things like that – it’s not a wage.”