For the second time in a week Clare Council has missed the (decimal) point
Another misplaced decimal point in the Clare and Gilbert Valleys Council budget would have wiped almost half a million dollars from its budget if left undetected – the second error of its kind in a week.
SA News
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A second maths bungle has hit the Clare and Gilbert Valleys Council budget calculations – and if left undetected it would have cost the council half a million dollars.
The Advertiser revealed on Monday a bungle in which a decimal point was moved two places in the council’s rate in the dollar calculation, which meant it would lose around 90 per cent of its general rates revenue.
The issue only came to light when identified by Cr Ian Burfitt who had proposed a 1 per cent general residential rate rise because of the community’s COVID-19 struggle, instead of the planned 3.58 per cent.
The misplaced decimal point in 2020-21 budget passed last week, and meant the average homeowner would have paid 1328 cents in their general rates component, not $1328.
When other charges were factored in, the error would have wiped out 90 per cent of council’s total rates revenue.
At a meeting on Monday night to fix the problem the same councillor, Cr Burfitt, spotted another error and raised it with the meeting.
This time a similar the decimal point error had been applied to the council’s landscaping levy, which it hoped would raise $500,000.
Cr Burfitt said because of the error only $5000 would have been raised.
He said some councillors had been shocked that even after being alerted to the decimal point error, the same error had been applied to another calculation.
“I am very concerned with the whole rating bungle which has led to another special meeting being called,’’ he told The Advertiser.
“Resolutions from the administration should be checked for accuracy prior to being presented to council.’’
A second special meeting to fix the landscaping levy will now have to be called later this month.
Cr Burfitt will also ask the State Ombudsman to investigate the financial competence of some in the administration.
The meeting on Monday night was also told legal fees for code of conduct complaints within the council, which began in August last year, had now reached $30,000.
Rival code of conduct issues between Cr Burfitt, Mayor Wayne Thomas, and a ratepayer are being investigated.
“My belief as I told the meeting is that councillors should work together as a team for the benefit of the community,’’ Mayor Thomas said.
Mr Thomas denied the council was fighting within itself rather than serving the community, but said several councillors were disgruntled.