Community group’s council audit delayed
By Tim Howard
A community group supposedly the target of a Clarence Valley Council audit in February 2024 over the cost of its interactions with council has pointed out the audit has not been completed. The General Manager, Laura Black commented, “I anticipate it will take a couple of months.”
The secretary of Yamba Community Action Network (YambaCAN), Lynne Cairns, said this week’s council business paper included a report, Council Meeting Checklist – update on actions taken.
The report revealed staff had not completed the action, the result of a council resolution at the February 2024 council meeting.
“On page 175 of the business paper there is a note next to the item,” Ms Cairns said.
“It reads: ‘Staff responsible for collating information have been diverted to prepare and respond to legal action taken against council by an executive member of YambaCan’.”
Ms Cairns said this was incorrect as no-one on the YambaCAN executive had taken legal action against the council.
She was aware of some matters concerning the council a member of YambaCAN had taken to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
“These matters were not matters concerning YambaCAN and the member who brought them was not acting for YambaCAN,” Ms Cairns said.
“I’m concerned this is some disinformation that somehow YambaCAN is responsible for delaying council’s investigation of its actions.
“YambaCAN is requesting an apology from council for the incorrect information in the business paper.”
The resolution read: that the general manager advises, by way of a report the:
1. allocation of resources required to respond to GIPAs submitted by YambaCan since January 2022.
2. allocation of resources required to respond to RFI (Request for Information) submitted by YambaCan since January 2022.
3. any cost implications of delays to delivering the Yamba Community Precinct project since January 2022.
The matter was passed 5-4, but debate was fiery.
Cr Karen Toms brought it as a notice of motion to alert the public to the costs the group’s GIPA requests and requests for information were incurring.
But other councillors said these costs were part of council operating openly and transparently.
Cr Greg Clancy was concerned the motion focused on just one group when council records showed it was responsible for a fraction of the requests.
“As seen in the listing of GIPA applications on council’s website, there are 22 GIPA applications and only six of these refer to YambaCAN,” he told the February meeting.
He also revealed YambaCAN had lodged a request for information, however were informed that there were 290 requests for information previously lodged by others that were waiting to be processed.
Ms Cairns was concerned that with the council going into caretaker mode on August 16, ahead of the September local government elections, council could not effectively decide on the matter.
There will be report on the outcome of this matter and other matters at council in next week’s edition of The Northern Rivers Times.
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