Clover Moore bows to pressure over councillors’ entitlements

EXCLUSIVE: CLOVER Moore has bowed to pressure on the councillor entitlements by agreeing to look at ways to increase transparency. It comes amid calls for the council to publish real-time data on expenses.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore. Picture: AFP

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LORD Mayor Clover Moore has bowed to pressure on the generous entitlements being claimed by some City of Sydney councillors by agreeing to look at ways to increase transparency around the perks.

It comes after The Daily Telegraph revealed City of Sydney’s plan to significantly increase some of the expenses its councillors can claim. Local Government Minister Gabrielle Upton launched a probe into the city’s entitlements policy, which could be rubber-stamped in coming weeks.

Labor councillor Linda Scott will table a motion at Monday’s full council meeting calling for City of Sydney to publish “real time” data online — showing ­exactly what councillors are claiming and when.

City of Sydney Labor Councillor Linda Scott wants real time data public on councillor expenses

Incredibly, City of Sydney, like many other NSW councils, only publishes ­details of the entitlements being claimed by councillors in annual reports and with little detail.

Ms Moore has ordered City of Sydney chief executive Monica Barone to come up with a better disclosure method.

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“We agree it’s worth looking at more timely ­reporting of councillor expenses and will ask the CEO to come back with a proposal for the upcoming financial year,” a spokesman for the Lord Mayor said.

It comes after Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull recently announced major reforms to the cushy entitlements available to federal politicians.