What a wonderful word York’s CEO, Paul Martin, appears to have come up with- it is ‘MULTIYEAR’. Good one champ!It covers a MULTITUDE of sins dating back to the year 2006 and probably well into the next decade, even century.
MULTIYEAR actually means as long as it takes, totally time non-specific, totally time generous, totally no foreseeable end-result focussing. To put it even more succinctly in means more than one year- right up to Armageddon.
It covers anything and everything.
This includes the 3 years it has taken the Shire to find out that it will not be recompensed for the highly controversial purchase of St Patrick’s Convent. This being money that was inappropriately lent by State Treasury for the purchase of this property at twice its market value.
And of course any idea of taking Commissioner James Best to court (on what charge?) will probably end up in crocodile tears because he may say he burrowed the money from the state with the required authority to do so, all done in good faith, and if you want it, don’t even bother because,’ good luck- he cannot afford to pay it back’.
The best court case scenario is that it buys a bevy of lawyers that new Porsche 911 and a new set of golf clubs to throw in the boot, courtesy of York ratepayers, with the decision possibly taking MULTIYEAR’S with a dead end result.Regarding the collapsing convent it must be said that an incredible Shire of York Agenda statement has been made about this almighty imbroglio which goes to the very crux of the problem that ratepayers have with the Shire of York.
It is an absolute beauty regarding all the costs and potential stuff-ups involved. ‘Officers have proposed to be entirely transparent on this matter’.
Firstly this infers that Officers may not have not been entirely transparent in the past on any other matter, including this one!
Also PROPOSED means a SUGGESTION- not that anyone is actually going to be transparent.Does this mean a new enlightened era where truth and honesty prevail?
Not with the current Local Government Act 1995 and the Department of Local Government and the West Australian Local Government Association’s interpretation of it.
WALGA’s, own role, responsibilities and abilities, including its training methods, some could argue may have inadvertently allowed, even enticed a CEO, Dacre Alcock, to steal $600,000 from the Shire of Dowerin.
A great assistant of the Shire of York and its past problematic auditing procedures, Dominic Carbone, is listed as a financial trainer with WALGA.
MULTIYEARS also does not sound so bad as the number of years the YRCC has, and will continue to, destroy the Shire of York’s finances, ensuring that the ratepayers are charged more for their rates than many City Councils and most Shire Councils- until hell freezes over.
Some silver tongued soothsayers will claim that this is not true.
The alleged exploding debt of up to $13 million is just a drop in the ocean in comparison to over (an initial) $100 million spent by a few other regional councils, through Royalties for Regions, on massive, not needed, local entertainment facilities, without due diligence, creating a never ending, massive debt problem.
Compared to these York’s Beer (Pork) Barrel Polka Forrest Tavern/Bar/Café repayments could be chicken feed- other than the fact that the Shire of York cannot afford it- and neither can the ratepayers.
Fixing future problems is just all too easy. The Minister for Local Government, David Templeman, could prevent further Local Government Council financial missmagement in an instant by changing the Local Government Act (Regulations) 1996. He has the personal power as me, myself, I.
Despite the current financial largesse furore, massive Local Government Council financial problems are not entirely the responsibility of Royalties for Regions and Brendan Grylls.
It was just a cookie jar offered to incompetent CEO’s and councils who had no expensive community project management accounting skills whatsoever. They had no projections on annual running costs or whole of life maintenance costs. It was pure greed, pure self-aggrandisement within the local community- assured through pure stupidity!
Many Local Government Council’s’ do not have an accredited finance officer. Some that do-have an incumbent that did not pass Grade 3 Math and graduated as a shoe salesman, or a barperson.
To the best of anybody’s knowledge, the Shire of York’s current Finance Officer has no degree, no qualifications, no accreditation and no certification at all pertaining to controlling finances. Neither does any other Officer within its offices.
Now here is a list of unanswered questions put to David Templeman by someone who has the University Degree qualifications to do so.
Why has not the Minister invoked the following or at least signalled that these changes will be occurring forthwith?
All that is needed is a change to the LG(Financial Management ) Regulations 1996 which is in his power to action as opposed to changing the LGA 1995 which requires action by Parliament. Why has this not happened?
Local Government is required to comply with AAS (Australian Accountancy Standards) and all financial responsibility is vested in the office of CEO when there should be a separation of responsibilities between the CEO and a Chief Finance Officer . Why has this not happened?
Internal Audit function is none existent in many LGs and not well understood. The DLG should be able to issue Instructions which have the same statuary authority as the Act and Regulations. Why has this not happened?
Internal Audit function is none existent in many LGs and not well understood. The DLG should be able to issue Instructions which have the same statuary authority as the Act and Regulations. Why has this not happened?
Finance training is carried out by WALGA and the above should have been picked up.
The membership of WALGA is conflict of interest and the role of the Association, which is funded by the public purse, should be investigated and rationalized.
Why has not this happened?.
Then comes WALGA.
Why does WALGA not insist that each Local Government Council has a Chief Finance Officer to meet Department of Treasury instructions and Australian Accounting Standards?
That to be fully financially accountable, there should be clear mandatory delineation between the responsibilities of any department CEO, finance staff and purchasing staff?
In Local Government all financial responsibilities are placed with the Chief Executive Officer. In York’s case Paul Martin, who is not known to be a certified practicing accountant or have any similar qualifications.
No other staff have any accounting qualifications, so it may be the case of a partially blind guide dog leading the blind?
(This could be very interesting if a demand is made of the Auditor General to ensure that no extraneous payments have been made by the Shire of York to possibly three, maybe more staff members in the 2017-18 Financial Year. This will happen.)
In fact what is WALGA?.
How many people at WALGA are needed to change a lightbulb? What are their salary packages, motor vehicles supplied, allowances and credit cards? What is its annual running costs, does it own its offices and other properties? Does it have an extensive investment portfolio? To whom or under what Act is it accountable, the Associations Incorporations Act?How much revenue does it receive per annum from ratepayers and what services does it provide that is of any benefit to ratepayers, other than to those who leach off them? It could be claimed it perpetuates a failed system for its own benefit.
And the biggest question of all -what good is it?
Last but not least this is a question for Wallace & Martin (it sounds like a bit like funeral director partnership.)How many MULTIYEARS is it going to take to turn the monstrous black lagoon back into the Avon River?
And
How many MULTIYEARS will it take to re-erect the tumbling tombstones to honour York’s ancestors.
The answer may well be ‘we have proposed to be entirely transparent on this matter- it will be MULTIYEARS’.
David Taylor.
The membership of WALGA is conflict of interest and the role of the Association, which is funded by the public purse, should be investigated and rationalized.
Why has not this happened?.
Then comes WALGA.
Why does WALGA not insist that each Local Government Council has a Chief Finance Officer to meet Department of Treasury instructions and Australian Accounting Standards?
That to be fully financially accountable, there should be clear mandatory delineation between the responsibilities of any department CEO, finance staff and purchasing staff?
In Local Government all financial responsibilities are placed with the Chief Executive Officer. In York’s case Paul Martin, who is not known to be a certified practicing accountant or have any similar qualifications.
No other staff have any accounting qualifications, so it may be the case of a partially blind guide dog leading the blind?
(This could be very interesting if a demand is made of the Auditor General to ensure that no extraneous payments have been made by the Shire of York to possibly three, maybe more staff members in the 2017-18 Financial Year. This will happen.)
In fact what is WALGA?.
How many people at WALGA are needed to change a lightbulb? What are their salary packages, motor vehicles supplied, allowances and credit cards? What is its annual running costs, does it own its offices and other properties? Does it have an extensive investment portfolio? To whom or under what Act is it accountable, the Associations Incorporations Act?How much revenue does it receive per annum from ratepayers and what services does it provide that is of any benefit to ratepayers, other than to those who leach off them? It could be claimed it perpetuates a failed system for its own benefit.
And the biggest question of all -what good is it?
Last but not least this is a question for Wallace & Martin (it sounds like a bit like funeral director partnership.)How many MULTIYEARS is it going to take to turn the monstrous black lagoon back into the Avon River?
And
How many MULTIYEARS will it take to re-erect the tumbling tombstones to honour York’s ancestors.
The answer may well be ‘we have proposed to be entirely transparent on this matter- it will be MULTIYEARS’.
David Taylor.
You know David, the apathetic lily-livered ratepayers deserve everything they’re going to get in the years to come with increased rates and below average service delivery. The coprophagian cockroaches at WALGA are exactly the same vile species as those at the DLGC, parasitic leaches feeding from the ratepayer’s purse. What do these cockroaches do to contribute toward society? Unfortunately, whereas in the private sector when times get tough, it calls for cuts to survive, the one thing we can be sure of is that ‘the axe man will never cometh’ as far as local government is concerned. CEO’s, the cream of public service, for all their reputed intelligence and ability, according to WALGA, don’t have to earn an honest living as do the heads in the cut and thrust of the private sector. When a problem surfaces, the solution to the LG CEO is to simply throw more money at it and employ more cockroaches.
ReplyDeleteWatching the local government hand out massively paid 'non jobs' to morons (you know who you are) on an almost continual basis, is twisting the knife for those running tightly controlled businesses, hanging on by the bones of their arses.
It would be of great interest to know how much the shire have spent on consultants in the last year it would seem senior management can't make a single decision without getting paid help the ratepayers certainly don't seem to be getting much bang for their buck
ReplyDeleteWhat makes my guts turn is the constant cover ups orchestrated by WALGA and the DLGC. Its no different to the methods used by the Vatican to protect the vile perverts posing as compassionate ministers of the faith. WALGA ensures that its union members are simply moved to another Shire and the incompetence, negligence and in some cases perversion is covered up. Take for example Alan Rourke, he was removed after building several sections of dangerous road. The roads are still dangerous and he is now working one shire away in quarading. Paul Crewe is a classic case of cover up 101. Now we are paying top dollar for another consultant to clean up the mess left by these two morons.
ReplyDeleteWho is accountable, well in my opinion it is the CEO but sadly he is simply a puppet and the masters continue to strum the web.
Did you know David, our CEO refuses to display the Y 0 rego plate on the vehicle allocated to him. The reason for this is because apparently he is too embarrassed to be associated with York and does not want to be recognised as York's CEO.
ReplyDeleteI find it incredibly insulting that the most senior member of staff, representing the Shire, gets paid an awful lot of money, lives in a Shire house with all utilities paid and is too ashamed to display Y 0.
He should be made to display it on the Shire vehicle. More to the point, why doesn't the Shire President insist on it? Maybe it has something to do with that yellow streak running down his spine.
Its simple anon 22:10
ReplyDeleteThe puppet masters reside in the city
CEO Martin spends his time running up and down the hill going to 'meetings' in the city.
Y0 would stand out like dogs balls so he seeks to be more discreet.
I was speaking with a very prominent Yorkie today, someone I have a great deal of respect for, someone who gets on with the job without want of adulation. It’s a real shame more people don’t follow the same generous ideology, York would be a better place for it.
DeleteAnyway, enough of this adoration, this person agreed with me, the Shire rego plates should be displayed on Shire vehicles (with pride).
I agree with Anonymous @ 22:30, the Shire President should insist Shire plates should be displayed on all Shire vehicles, I think it’s a little unfair to accuse the Shire President of having a yellow streak running down his spine though.
I think Wallace and Duperouzel have much in common, both in way over their heads, both with some strange unhealthy deference for authoritative figures, and both corn-fed.
It’s a terrible shame for York that we don’t ever seem to get a dynamic Shire President who champions for the ratepayers, instead of WALGA and the DLGC. Matthew Reid came very close and we all know what happened to him – cut off at the knees!
I have noticed the amount paid to consultants seems to be disproportionally high compared to other Shires of a similar size. The only possible explanation for this is because the Shire of York staff are not up to the job. The trouble is, the Shire staff have become dependent and complacent, when something looks to be too hard, the easier option is to sub it out to an outside consultant at huge cost.
DeleteThis is fine until the consultants have conflicting opinions, interpreting laws and regulations differently, where does that leave the poor ratepayer stuck in the middle when there is a difference of opinion between consultants, delays, extra expense, and a lot of unnecessary angst.
With as many Local Governments as WA has, most of them rural, there is not the expertise to go around and rural Shires tend to end up with the dregs from the bottom of the barrel.
Meanwhile, entities like WALGA thrive, with over a hundred very well paid employees, lavish headquarters, company cars etc etc. WALGA promotes itself as an organisation which provides value by:
“Enhancing the capacity of Local Government to deliver services; and
Building a positive profile for Local Government; and;
Providing effective advocacy and leadership on behalf of the sector; and
Ensuring representation in the interests of Local Government in WA.”
What a load of crap!
To make matters worse, according to WALGA, it has recently introduced a new Elected Member ‘mentor’ service to “assist Elected Members to undertake their responsibilities and requirements with the knowledge that ‘free’ personal advice is available for any concerns or questions about the role”.
So, what exactly is the role of the Department of Local Government?
Forget three tiers of Government, Western Australia has four, all of them cancerous.