Pacific Avenue signs with BMG p3
Progress on the sale of Akuna St p3
Kiama lacking in EV charging
Meet the Candidates p5
Ways to Revel in May p11
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7 MAY 2022
Forensic audit concerns An Extraordinary Meeting of Kiama Council has been called for Thursday 12 May for councillors to discuss in confidential session the results of a forensic audit into the previous five years of Council’s operations. Speaking at the May Kiama Central Precinct meeting, Mayor Neil Reilly revealed that the audit is currently under embargo while legal advice is being sought on whether and how it can be released. “Council is still awaiting advice on the public interest test from the Office of Local Government,” he said. The report has been sent on a confidential basis to all councillors; the Office for Local Government; Council’s Audit, Risk & Improvement Committee; the chairs of
Council’s Finance Advisory Committee and Blue Haven Committee; the NSW Audit Office; and advisors KPMG. While not revealing any detail to the questioning audience, the Mayor said, “We now have a handle about what went on. “It seems things have been moved around without councillor approval.” When asked the question “Will anyone be going to jail?”, Mayor Reilly replied that Council will not be bringing any criminal charges. He told the meeting the Office of Local Government has been kept fully informed of Council’s initiatives to improve its financial sustainability, and that he has met personally with Minister Wendy Tuckerman three times.
don’t want to sell, and there are others we could get a revenue stream from. “This way, nine councillors elected by you will be making the decisions. “An administrator would focus solely on selling off what they could.” The Mayor said the Government was happy that Council had engaged KPMG as an advisor on improving accounting practices, in addition to commissioning the forensic audit by Forsyths. The Extraordinary Meeting will be attended by Ali Dench, the head of the Office of Local Government, to lend her support to the SIP and Council’s approach to date. Other councillors at the Precinct meeting, Stuart Larkins and Karen Renkema-
Lang, voiced their support for the SIP, with the latter noting the need to strengthen staff resources, particularly in the finance department. The report backs up the revelations already made in February’s State of the Organisation report and the SIP. The Mayor reassured a Blue Haven resident that their returnable accommodation deposits were safe, and guaranteed by the Federal Government. The confidential Extraordinary Meeting will also consider a way going forward for Blue Haven, given the Council has asked for an assessment of the options to sell, lease or keep the aged care business. It will also look to further formalise the role of the
Audit, Risk & Improvement Committee. “I have been very encouraged to work with the elected representatives since they were sworn in,” says CEO Jane Stroud. “We have released the State of the Organisation and the SIP and we will have to update the latter to include some of the findings of the forensic assessment report. “We have been very open about the challenges we are facing, and my job is just to crack on and focus on what needs to be done to secure the future.” The draft Community Strategic Plan will be presented to the regular May Meeting to facilitate the developmen of the Long Term Financial Plan and the 2022/3 budget.
Liberal Party candidate for the Federal seat of Gilmore, Andrew Constance, has announced a commitment of $5.5 million to fund the $6 million redevelopment of the Gerringong Surf Life Saving Club premises. The Federal Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, Dan Tehan, came down to Gerringong to support the announcement, saying the money will be available within six months of the Morrison Government being returned to power, whether or not Labor’s Fiona Phillips retains the seat. “It will come out of our Building Better Regions fund. We want to set this club up for the decades to come,”
he said. “This will come if a Morrison Government is re-elected.” Discussions have commenced with Surf Lifesaving Australia to provide the remaining half million. A DA for the clubhouse is currently being considered by Council, with the exhibition period now over and a decision Andrew Constance (centre) and Minister Dan Tehan talk with Richard Payne of the Surf Club’s building committee pending. “Built in the 1970s, the beach, particularly the inner “This upgrade will allow a Club house is due for a shore gutter and permanent proper view of the beach and serious upgrade,” said Mr rip to the south. This is provide more storage. Constance. extremely dangerous when “These upgrades are also “The current design does poor conditions force the about ensuring our local not allow a proper view of the patrol into the clubhouse. community and visitors to
the region can feel safe when they’re enjoying Gerringong’s great beaches.” He stressed that the announcement was not about politics, but about supporting the community, and that he would welcome the commitment being matched by the other candidates. “This is not just a building, but a community hub,” he said. “It will not only serve the club, but also the wider community.” The work will involve the demolition of the existing clubhouse, which was built by club members in the 1970s, and construction of a new two story building with much enlarged storerooms;
male/female and accessible facilties; a members gym; patrol and first aid rooms; a members bar and function areas; a kiosk; a lift; and more. Gerringong SLSC has 280 registered nippers and more than 100 patrolling members, plus many more volunteers. When the Member for Gilmore, Fiona Phillips, was approached about the annoucement, she said that she supports the project and will be making further comment in the coming weeks. “I note that Andrew Constance and the Morrison Government has still not matched Labor’s commitment
“She asked why we had called our actions a Strategic Improvement Plan (SIP), and I said that we wanted to make an improvement plan before someone else [the Office of Local Government] did it for us. “Improvement orders that are issued prior to administration give a council very little time to enact them. “Community engagement and strategic plans have no meaning, and there is no public consultation on what should be done. “This way, we will have to make decisions about what to sell, repurpose or keep. “The SIP is thought [by the Government] to have merit and the inference is that we are being responsible to do it. “There are some things we
Libs commit $5.5m to G’gong SLSC
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