According to the Councillor Expenses Entitlement Policy 2017, a quarterly summary of Ballarat City councillor expenses will be posted on the internet for the community to view.

However the webpage which shows Ballarat City councillor expenses only updated with expense detail from the past two years yesterday.

Following subsequent updates, the councillor expenses page continues to show only a full annual report for the 2016/2017 financial year, contradicting the shire’s own policy on information being broken down quarterly. 

In another blunder, Ballarat City councillor Grant Tillett said once he was told about the updated webpage, he went to check his expenses and was surprised to see incorrect information. 

Cr Tillett said it he personally paid for professional development events out of his own money or reimbursed the shire, but the register of councillor expenses as it stood at 9am this morning did not reflect that.

“It’s a a big embarrassment,” he said.

“I’ve very unhappy with it, because it does not reflect my personal position at all.

“There’s been an error made, there’s no question.”

City of Ballarat said in a statement that a “comprehensive audit” had been conducted, with correct information of expenses now on their website. 

“Yesterday it was brought to our attention that the Councillor Expenses information on the City of Ballarat website had not been updated since 2016,” a City of Ballarat spokeperson said. 

“As a result, City of Ballarat officers generated and published an updated report online.

“A further review indicated this report contained a few minor discrepancies, such as not including a repayment that the City of Ballarat had received from a councillor.

“While it is not a legal requirement to publish councillor expenses online, the City of Ballarat is committed to being open and transparent.”