Source : Perth Now news
Exceeding a spending limit for professional development of City of Mandurah councillors has been labelled “very good value”.
The council approved at its October 27 meeting a request from Cr Owen Mulder to complete an Australian Institute of Company Directors course.
Topics in the company director course include director duties and legal responsibilities, financial literacy, risk management, strategy, and board effectiveness.
The total cost of the course and membership is around $10,985, which includes the course and membership fee to obtain a member-discounted course fee.
The city has a two-year $9000 limit on council members’ training, professional development, travel and events expenses.
The council agreed to pull the extra $1985 from the elected member training budget.
Cr Ryan Burns said it was not a cheap course but he had done it and could vouch for its benefit.
“Prior to me engaging it I surveyed past elected members and current ones that have gone and they gave me every assurance,” he said.
“I feel comfortable enough with those who have already done it to speak highly of the quality of this course and knowing Cr Mulder’s character, I know he will approach that with a high level of due diligence.
“He will probably get more out of that course knowing the way that he works than the average elected member across the State for example, without casting any aspersions on our current group.
“It’s very good value for the ratepayers of Mandurah that we have high-performing elected members and this course does improve our performance when taken seriously.”
Cr Mulder was elected to the city’s Coastal ward last year. He did not take part in the vote on the course expenditure.
