Spending at the City of Ballarat is under the spotlight.
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In May the Victorian Ombudsman made damning findings about its procurement and recruitment processes.
More recently serious questions have been asked about the budgeting and planning behind the Gatekeepers Cottage, fernery and Civic Hall projects, as well as its internal purchasing processes. And what of the money claimed by councillors themselves? In the closing days of this term of council, The Courier made an application under the Freedom of Information Act for all expense claims by the nine councillors over the past four financial years.
Over the coming days, the newspaper will analyse the documents that have now been released, exploring where and on what residents' rates have been spent and whether they were used effectively, transparently and for the benefit of Ballarat and its citizens.
The go-to Melbourne hotel for Ballarat councillors has been revealed as the five-star Sofitel on Collins Street.
In documents released this month to The Courier under the Freedom of Information act, the hotel is shown as the most significant beneficiary of councillors' stays in the city over the past four financial years.
Several councillors have stayed at the venue, which is in a prime location near Spring Street, when attending events or conferences.
The Courier understands the hotel - listed among Time Out's best luxury hotels in Melbourne - has been a default option for councillors and council executives making overnight visits to the city for several years.
Time Out describes it as "at the forefront of luxury accommodation since the '90s, thanks to its commitment to understated elegance and French-inspired decor."
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It continues: "It's fancy, but it doesn't need to prove itself; the views, service and amenities all say quite enough."
Several other upmarket hotels - both in Melbourne and further afield - are listed among the venues stayed in by councillors.
The former mayor Samantha McIntosh stayed at the Sofitel most frequently, with multiple overnight stays at the hotel billed to the ratepayer in the four years of this most recent council term.
The line items range from just under $300 to $535.97 for a stay linked to an AFL launch in January 2017.
Cr McIntosh said she "strongly represented Ballarat on many occasions at state, interstate and international levels" and that face-to-face meetings were an invaluable part of her work.
Any queries about the choice of hotel were "best followed up with the City of Ballarat CEO," she said.
"Accommodation, flights are booked and organised by the Town Hall 'Civic Support unit' as part of everyday operational matters."
Cr Amy Johnson had the highest single expense attributed to the hotel with one line item detailing a bill of $1,101.86 for a stay in October 2017, which was covered by ratepayers.
Cr Johnson said all councillors were staying in Melbourne for a Spring Street delegation at the time. She said other councillors' hotel costs would have been included under lobbying costs but hers were listed separately as she was staying on for a Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) conference.
Cr Johnson said she supported the full disclosure of councillor expenses.
The Sofitel has traditionally been used by the City of Ballarat organisation when booking accommodation for councillors and senior executives
- Cr Des Hudson
The current mayor Cr Ben Taylor stayed there once during the past year at a ratepayer cost of $370. He told The Courier that, as the bookings were made by the council support team, he was unaware of what was paid.
"There is absolutely an opportunity for council to review its policy around its bookings and its accommodation," he said on Tuesday. He added he was unaware of a detailed policy around what level of hotel accommodation would be supported by ratepayers.
In response to an inquiry made to the City of Ballarat on expenses policy, The Courier was told simply: "Councillor expenses incurred for accommodation are subject to prior-approval of the CEO and therefore at the CEO's discretion."
Councillor Des Hudson, who submitted two expense claims for the Sofitel in two successive months in 2016, made a similar comment to Cr Taylor.
He said the hotel had been traditionally used by the City of Ballarat organisation for councillors and senior executives.
"This predated my term as mayor. All arrangements are generally made and booked by the Civic Support unit," he told The Courier.
Cr Hudson, who made four hotel expense claims in the past four financial years, said he had "no issue" with a review of the policy to give the best value to ratepayers.
Other accommodation claims relating to Melbourne in the council documents do not always specify which hotels are used. It is possible - even likely - that the Sofitel was used more frequently than is outlined in the FOI documents.
Deputy mayor Cr Belinda Coates also stayed there when a MAV conference was being held on site. She said on other occasions she specifically requested cheaper accommodation in the city such as the Novotel.
Elected representatives have a duty to exercise moderation. It does come down to personal responsibility the way policy is written at the moment
- Deputy mayor Cr Belinda Coates
"It does come down to councillors using their discretion," Cr Coates said "Expenses are a reasonable entitlement if it's something that's above and beyond [councillors'] normal roles.
"They are elected representatives and have a duty to exercise moderation. It does come down to personal responsibility the way policy is written at the moment."
There were several other luxurious venues used by councillors during this most recent council term. One line item shows Cr McIntosh stayed at the Langham in October 2019 at a cost to the ratepayer of $349.60, to attend a Sporting Hall of Fame event nearby.
The venue was voted best Australian hotel by readers of luxury magazine Conde Nast Travel last year.
Other hotels used included Pullman on the Park (Cr Johnson), , described as "a five-star hotel in the heart of the vibrant East Melbourne sporting and entertainment district" as well as the Deep Blue Hot Springs Hotel in Warrnambool (also Cr Johnson), while the heritage listed Brassey Hotel was used by Cr McIntosh in Canberra.
The documents obtained under the Freedom of Information act outline all councillor travel, training and communication and technology expenses from the past four financial years.
Two councillors had no travel expenses listed against their name: Crs Mark Harris and Grant Tillett.
A little over $18,000 of councillor expenses are linked to domestic hotel stays in the time covered by the FOI documents.
In total, councillors claimed $205,427.80 over the past four financial years, with expenses attributed to Cr McIntosh - the mayor for three years of this council term - accounting for $84,105.91 of that total.
Councillor expenses
Spending at the City of Ballarat is under the spotlight. In May the Victorian Ombudsman made damning findings about its procurement and recruitment processes.
More recently serious questions have been asked about the budgeting and planning behind the Gatekeepers Cottage, fernery and Civic Hall projects, as well as its internal purchasing processes. And what of the money claimed by councillors themselves? In the closing days of this term of council, The Courier made an application under the Freedom of Information Act for all expense claims by the nine councillors over the past four financial years.
Over the coming days, the newspaper will analyse the documents that have now been released, exploring where and on what residents' rates have been spent and whether they were used effectively, transparently and for the benefit of Ballarat and its citizens.
Responses in full
The Courier received three written responses to this article, reproduced in full below.
Cr Des Hudson
The Sofitel has traditionally been used by the COB organisation when booking accommodation for councillors and senior executives.
This predated my term as mayor. All arrangements are generally made and booked by the Civic Support unit.
I have no issue with a review of this policy and procedure to ensure the best cost effective result for ratepayers is achieved.
Cr Amy Johnson
I take my role as a councillor seriously, as I do the appropriate use of rate payer money.
I'm a strong advocate for full disclosure of councillor expenses and believe this disclosure is important for transparency and accountability.
Cr Samantha McIntosh
Thank you for your queries about travel expenses and associated items like accommodation, flights, transport, car parking etc.
I have also been advised that a minority of disaffected people are upset and pretty cheesed off that the information obtained through FOI and leaked through Council did not achieve the "cut through with community" as they put it, with the Ballarat Times article and will concentrate on the Courier now. So I was expecting your call and indeed I will have more to say at a later time.
In my time as Mayor, I advocated strongly and represented Ballarat on many occasions at State, Interstate and international levels. There seems to be a view that lobbying for projects, funding or advancing Ballarat and our region, is not required - that millions of dollars of funding, opportunity for sport, culture, music and Arts events or new businesses will just be given or Ballarat will just graciously be selected by companies as the place to be.
I can assure you that every other City, be it Bendigo, Geelong, Newcastle, Albury Wollongong and many others are lobbying and representing their Cities in person at every opportunity to grasp that funding and the ear of decision makers. Five million dollars for the Airport upgrade, White Night on three occasions or the Spilt Milk music festival did not just arrive out of the blue. It took consistent, determined and active representation at many levels to secure these events and many others.
Sure you can send an email, write a letter, skype, zoom or otherwise, but in these avenues it is very easy to be disregarded. It is far more difficult to be 'flogged off' when you're seated, 'eye ball to eye ball' while reading the body language of the person you're communicating to and to walk away with a commitment for the next step.
Getting back to your questions, it is best followed up with the City of Ballarat CEO as accommodation, flights etc are booked and organised by the Town Hall 'Civic Support unit' as part of everyday operational matters. Seldom does any councillor undertake this task as the City has policies that guide purchasing and safety implications.
I am informed that Ballarat, like many other businesses, have corporate accommodation package arrangements and venues are selected.. where at all possible close to events. But as suggested, it's most important to follow up with the CEO.
In my role as Mayor for Ballarat, I gave it seven days a week and I am delighted to reflect upon this time. It did require significant energy, attention and commitment and also much time away from my family. I am proud of these contributions and valuable returns to our community. These outcomes should be fairly and properly interpreted.
Rate payers deserve a balanced representation of information and given that there has been selective use of information, I am taking the step of registering all responses on my website for transparency and accurate recording.
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