COUNCILLORS will be able to access a combined $9000 in general travel expenses each year under a policy adopted by Oberon Council.
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Council adopted the policy at its ordinary meeting last month.
It followed a period of public exhibition in which submissions were received.
A policy detailing expenses and facilities for councillors is required to be adopted within 12 months of the term of a new council to ensure accountability and transparency.
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Under Oberon Council's policy, all councillors are able to access a pool of $9000 in general travel expenses per year; $9000 in interstate, overseas and long distance intrastate travel expenses per year; $9000 in professional development per year; and $9000 for conferences and seminars per year.
Each councillor is entitled to $500 in carer expenses per year; an iPad; and $450 in home office expenses per year; and the mayor is entitled to a phone for the term of council. The mayor is entitled to $100 for Christmas or festive cards per year.
Access to facilities in a councillor common room is provided to all councillors and the mayor is provided with a furnished office.
Additional costs incurred by a councillor in excess of these limits are considered a personal expense that is the responsibility of the councillor.
OBERON CEMETERY
A RECOMMENDATION was carried at council's recent ordinary meeting to place on public exhibition the new policy of the transfer or sale of a right of burial and report back to council should submissions be received.
Should no submissions be received, the draft policy will be adopted.
The current Oberon Lawn Cemetery guidelines policy was endorsed in December 2014.
Proposed changes to the policy include that at the time of burial, a standard plaque is pre-paid with the funeral expenses.
All lawn cemetery plaques will be arranged through Oberon Council in order to maintain consistency.
If a lawn cemetery plaque is not ordered by the family/next of kin one year following interment, then council will write to them asking them to contact council to make arrangements for a plaque.
If no response is received to this letter or if the family/next of kin indicates that they will not arrange a plaque, then council will order and affix a standard plaque with the name of the deceased, date of birth and date of death.
