For a Council that cannot find funds to support community requested projects, Ku-ring-gai seem to have no qualms spending on a Councillor “getaway”.
The Post observed Ku-ring-gai Councillors and staff filtering into an exclusive, luxury accommodation, relaxed and smiling, on the 3rd of March for a two-night stay. Publisher of The Post Tina Brown had witnessed the arrival.
Two Councillors were not in attendance – Deputy Mayor Christine Kay from the St Ives Ward, and Cr Jeff Pettett of the Comenarra Ward.
Labelled as a “Councillors’ Workshop”, the agenda included housing policy, tree canopy preservation, progress and achievements over the Council’s term, challenges and priorities, corporate planning, budget assessment management, significant updates, and organisational improvement.
The cost of the workshop, as The Post understand it, is estimated to have been at least 20,000 dollars.
This seems reasonable once you take into account the complimentary tea and coffee on arrival, with views of wineries and a rolling golf course. Not forgetting a conference menu that features pan seared grouper, lilliput capers, and pomme fondant. Of course, ratepayers across Ku-ring-gai have had to foot the bill.
If the need for such a boutique luxury conference wasn’t peculiar enough, Councillors were spotted arriving with family members. With such a stacked agenda covering housing policy to asset management, it’s hard to imagine how Councillors could have possibly carved out the time to enjoy the company of their families.
It becomes more peculiar still when looking at surrounding councils and their planned conferences, which don’t involve overnight stays, spousal presence, or luxurious food and activities.
‘Council holds an annual Councillor strategic day, usually in February,’ says Hornsby Shire Council spokesperson. ‘Last year, this took place at the Storey Park Community Centre, where it will be likely held again in 2024.’
‘In 2023, Council used a community facility, the Zenith Centre meeting rooms in Chatswood to hold a full day strategic planning workshop on financial sustainability,’ says Willoughby City Council.
Ku-ring-gai Council appears to recognise that the economic health of the community is teetering, with Council passing a motion during the Ordinary Meeting on February 20th regarding community relief for cost-of-living pressures. It has been unanimously endorsed by all Councillors that an unbudgeted amount of 150,000 dollars will become available to local well known charitable organisations.
However, Council is seemingly forgoing community needs and awaited projects, namely Marian Street Theatre and the Lindfield Village Hub, and instead using funds to remove benches on moral grounds and hosting multiple extraordinary meetings before their monthly Ordinary meeting has taken place. The unfocused, futile workings of Council is a testament to a lack of executive maturity, especially with only a handful of months left before caretaker mode and this year’s Council elections.
What’s more, it is strange Council had decided to travel in lieu of investing in local establishments. The Post can reveal that enquiries were made to the local Killara Hotel and Suites who had confirmed availability of the dates at a fraction of the cost. Questions on the necessity of having an elaborate, expensive workshop outside of the local Ku-ring-gai area are worth answering, considering Council support of the “Go Local First” campaign during the pandemic.
After questions on the reason for not using local facilities, and whether ratepayers were fully funding the conference, a Council spokesperson had responded on the 4th of March, ‘Councillors and senior staff have met once a year offsite for many years. It is productive and achieves good outcomes for the Council.’
Since this response, The Post has again questioned Council on the necessity of such an extravagant conference, though no further reply has been given.
The Post additionally reached out to all Councillors individually for comment. Two of the ten Ku-ring-gai Councillors responded. Cr Cedric Spencer of the Wahroonga Ward gave no explanation and answered no questions in his reply.
Cr Jeff Pettett, who did not attend the workshop, said, ‘I did not attend this workshop as I was quite concerned with the cost to ratepayers and that the workshop was not needed given that we have council elections in September of this year. Historically, there is a 50% turnover of councillors at each election meaning a number of the councillors that attended this Hunter Valley workshop will not be there post the election. We are in a cost-of-living crisis and having a Hunter Valley workshop does not sit well with the wider community as a good use of ratepayers’ money.’
Councillors, it would be lovely if you stayed inside Ku-ring-gai’s footprint! On behalf of the community, The Post calls for an explanation for this extravagance.
The Post would love to know how the community feels about this luxury conference.
Comments should be directed to Editor@hkpost.com.au.
This article has been updated.