Community benefit

I READ with interest the article Cash For Pet Tasks (Gazette, 14 March) and Cash Snatch Just a Grab for Votes (My View, 14 March) in regards to the $17,000 ward allocations.
It appears both Edrington Ward councillor Mick Morland and journalist Jim Mynard share similar views on the distribution of the ward allocations to the 11 Casey councillors.
Why they should think like this is beyond me, considering the allocations are beneficial to the ratepayers and residents of Casey Council. None of the councillors benefit financially from these grants forwarded to the community or its community organisations.
In the initial article, Mr Mynard indicates that $17,000 has been allocated to each councillor for expenditure in each of their wards rather than remain in the proposed Cranbourne Aquatic and Leisure Centre building allocation account.
It was the intention of each councillor to distribute the allocations as according to the guidelines in the capital works program. These guidelines infer that the $17,000 ward allocations be expended on council owned or managed properties as roads, reserves and buildings and may include items such as asset creation, renewal or maintenance works, including the supply and installation of furniture and fittings.
It further emphasised that the allocations could be directed to donations towards nonprofit community organisations based in the City of Casey providing support or services to Casey residents. This is exactly what the allocation is for and what I will be doing in the distribution of my allocations in the Four Oaks Ward.
I find Mr Mynard’s view that these funds would be directed to “pet projects” misleading, with the objective of embarrassing the councillors of Casey Council.
In all honesty, the nine councillors supporting this motion, excluding councillors Morland and Brian Hetherton, are proud of their actions in supporting the local community members in their wards.
These views are reiterated by councillors Janet Halsall and Wayne Smith in the same article, where they say the money will be well spent and well appreciated.
Cr Halsall noted that: “Any councillor who voted against the motion should not take the allocation”. Well done Cr Halsall.
I object to the use of the term “slush fund”.
What a lot of rubbish, considering Cr Morland has never questioned any associate political affiliate councillor over the abuse and wastage of ratepayer funds on councillors taking overseas and interstate trips at the expense of us ratepayers. Overseas trips taken by councillors are both an abuse of ratepayers’ funds and a use of a recognised slush fund. It is time this slush fund was closed down permanently.
Paul Richardson,
Four Oaks Ward councillor,
City of Casey.