New council travel policy

By Melissa Meehan
TRAVELLING councillors will now have to abide by a new travel policy in Greater Dandenong.
Councillors last week voted to adopt the new policy, which sets out rules and regulations for council-related travel.
Mayor Pinar Yesil said she was pleased that council officers had taken on the initiative as it was in line with the culture of transparency and accountability that the ATA Reform Charter would implement in the municipality.
“This policy will add to the ATA Reform Charter by ensuring that any travel paid for by the council is not only transparent but also has an identifiable benefit to the community,” Cr Yesil said.
She said it would stop any confusion for councillors as the council did not previously have a policy and the new guidelines would assist everyone in knowing what was acceptable.
While Cr Yesil had not travelled interstate or overseas on ratepayers’ money since she was elected in 2005, she said all would benefit from the new policy.
The policy highlights acceptable use of council money for road travel, air travel, accommodation, telephone use, meals and personal travel.
It also stipulates that councillor spouses or partners must cover their own travel costs.
Cr Yesil, who has been under fire over her telephone usage while overseas in recent years, said that she was pleased council took up her idea to set a policy on international roaming.
“If there was a policy that international roaming should not be used, I would not have used it,” she said.
“This would have saved me thousands of dollars.”
Councillor Ros Blades was also pleased with the policy.
“We are reviewing some policies and the travel policy is one such and at every review, I have requested the change that now occurred,” Cr Blades said.
“It is a financially sensible and prudent decision that goes along with our hardship provisions on the rates, inasmuch as the council will not be paying for spouses/ partners of mayors to travel nationally or internationally.
“I am really pleased that the council unanimously agreed to this responsible change.”