Liberal Ward 4 Councillor Brendan Christie says the recent rate hike has left residents wanting a more open and transparent council and he’s pushing that it comes in digital form.
He’ll pass a notice of motion at this month’s council meeting to see “funding accountability and a transparency website” brought in to show where the money goes.
“Many residents have raised with me their concerns about how difficult it is to find out where their rates are spent. Unless you’re an accountant or familiar with balance sheets it can be difficult to find out just where your money goes," he told the Gazette.
He would like to see Blue Mountains Council start a website so finances could be easily examined by ratepayers.
Cr Christie will ask that council notes its commitment to accountability and transparency in how it spends income from rates; and that it receives a report into “the efficacy of establishing a publicly accessible, searchable website to give ratepayers access to information on how their rates are spent”.
He said America had long embraced “transparency websites”.
“Almost all of the 50 States and many local councils across the United States have the transparency websites. This was only successful because of a strong grass roots campaign. Similarly, the Australian Taxpayers Alliance have been calling for our governments to do the same.”
Cr Christie said “the quarterly reports are thick and I can understand why people are concerned that they can’t read it and can’t understand where we spend their money”.
“A 21st century council needs 21st century accountability and transparency. Councils current website is aged and cumbersome. By having our spending on an easy to navigate website, our residents can see where their money is spent and can hold council to account with how we spend it.”
Tim Andrews, the executive director of the Australian Taxpayers Alliance, welcomed Cr Brendan Christie’s motion.
“I congratulate Cr Christie on calling for Blue Mountains City Council to be open and transparent with their budget. The ATA has been running our campaign calling for governments to manage transparency websites so that taxpayers can hold governments to account. I’m glad Cr Christie is pushing for this in the Blue Mountains.”
Mr Andrews said there had been a slow take-up of the idea but the ACT Government “has a limited transparency portal”.
The matter was expected to be debated at the council meeting on May 24.