Stirling rejects bid for ratepayers to fund Cr security

by Gemma Black

May 8, 2008

A proposal to make Stirling council ratepayers shell out for the home security of councillors was rejected by a council committee on May 6.

Cr Paul Collins, who proposed the motion to the council’s resource Management Committee, said it was prompted by “nothing in particular” and he “just felt that some councillors...wanted to give it some consideration”.

The motion was lost five councillors to two.

“There’s people on the council from all backgrounds,” Cr Collins told eMUNews after the meeting. “Councillors do not receive an enormous amount of money.”

Cr Collins said it would be good for female councillors in particular to have security for when they got home. He acknowledged he did not have any home security issues above and beyond the average person in the street.

When asked if this was merely a pay rise claim, Cr Collins said “absolutely not ... no, not at all”

Mayor David Boothman, who voted against the Cr Collins’ bid, said he was not satisfied that being a councillor increased the need for a home security allowance. The retired policeman said he already had a home security alarm paid for out of his own pocket.