Unclear council

After attending my first council meeting last week I was left wondering about the transparency of council activities and decision making.
When councillor Owen proposed the acceptance of a tender for construction of netball pavilion and toilet block extension, Officer, no mention was made of the cost or impact on budget.
Cr Owen seemed surprised when questioned and more surprised when he learned it was over budget.
Then there was the report on the financial status, cash in hand was $3.7 million short, WorkCover premiums were $241k over budget and council had spent money it didn’t have.
No statements were offered on how to overcome this situation.
That council’s loans were lower than budgetted was welcome news.
During questions on notice, Mrs O’Connor, CRRA, raise a pertinent issue on the Port of Hastings project support by council and asked whether council should be a lobbyist to a government project and whether any costs would be incurred by council to support infrastructure for the project.
This project is outside the council’s jurisdiction.
Vague answers were given, various advisers were consulted, but not named, and potential costs not revealed.
The questioner was made to look uncomfortable by council responses, which were confusing at best.
There is no transparency here and all ratepayers have a right to know details of council’s involvement, if it means our funds will be used to assist another council and a government project outside the Shire of Cardinia.
All in all it appears the Cardinia shire do a good job, covering a wide geographical area, but when residents’ rates have been raise by over 12 per cent in the last two years (above average for Victoria), more transparency of activities and decisions are required so ratepayers can judge how well funds are spent by councillors.
This will become extremely important for all leading up to an election year.”
Tilly Vervoort,
Pakenham.