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Council Faces Hike in Election CostsGreat Lakes Council is facing a massive increase in costs to undertake the 2008 Local Government elections, due to changes forced on NSW Councils by the NSW Electoral Commission. The move has left Council frustrated and angry that it will have no control and limited input into the ballooning cost estimates being issued from the NSW Electoral Commission. The Commission, which has always overseen the local government election process, decided last year it would be necessary to independently run the elections in every local government area in NSW. In 2004, the election in the Great Lakes cost Council $130,000. The Council had estimated the 2008 election would cost $160,000, taking into consideration increases in costs over the last four years. Council had been setting aside funds to meet this commitment. The Commission told Great Lakes Council its estimate would be $180,000 to undertake the 2008 election. These costs include the Commission setting up its own payroll systems, web services, call centres and internet election night results systems. “Now the Commission tells us its revised estimate is $200,000 and this doesn’t include some additional costs such as statutory advertising,” said Cr Chadban. “The 2004 costs for statutory advertising were approximately $25,000, so Council is now looking at a total cost for this election of around $225,000”. The fact is that the Commission is required by law to conduct the election and each Council is required by law to pay for the costs associated with the election. “The issue is that Council is powerless to negotiate costs, or use its existing infrastructure (which ratepayers have already paid for) to achieve cost savings. Instead we must cop on the chin whatever costs are incurred by the NSW Electoral Commission” said Cr Chadban. “The real shame is that electors in the Great Lakes will notice no change in the process, the way they cast their vote, the information they receive or the process by which the election takes place” said Cr Chadban. “A few weeks after the election, just as in 2004, the local community will be told who their new Councillors are”. “And yet this election is costing them perhaps up to $90,000 more.” Cr Chadban added “at least in 2004 the Commission worked in partnership with Council to keep the expense of the election to a minimum. The new philosophy embraced by the Commission of full cost recovery shows no understanding or empathy of the tight financial constraints under which Councils operate”.
In addition, the Local Government and Shires Association (LGSA) has recently released a report on the impact of cost-shifting on Local Government in NSW over the last two financial years, which states: “New figures from the Local Government and Shires Association of NSW have revealed that the State and Federal Governments are shifting responsibility for services and functions onto NSW local councils – without providing adequate compensation to councils.” “This is leaving councils starved for funds whilst dealing with overstretched budgets and increasing demands for service provision”. “This situation will impact in Council being unable to fund other worthwhile projects” said Councillor Chadban. The only action Council can take to redress this situation is to write to the Minister for Local Government to express its concerns. “We are doing that, and we are also assisting the LGSA, who are mounting a campaign against the Commission’s actions” Cr Chadban said.END Contact details |
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© 2008 Great Lakes Council |
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