Shoalhaven City Council voted against directing money to disability infrastructure projects from fines related to parking in disabled spots.
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At the ordinary council meeting on Tuesday, March 23 Cr Bob Proudfoot commented on a report from the 'Inclusion and Access Advisory Group' (IAAG), asking for council to consider 'ring fencing' money from fines related to illegally parked cars in disabled spots.
The IAAG informs, educates and advises Shoalhaven City Council and residents about accessibility, inclusion and related infrastructure.
Cr Proudfoot wanted council to support the report's request for disabled parking fine money to go directly to the implementation of the Disability Inclusion and Access Plan (DIAP). This would be rather than going to the council's general fund where it would undergo the normal budgetary process.
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The DIAP outlines Council's commitment to improving accessibility and opportunities for people with disability.
In NSW, rangers usually choose to dish out hefty on-the-spot fines of $581 and they are empowered to do so under the NSW Local Government Act 1993.
The money goes to Revenue NSW and is allocated to councils' internal revenue. From there, money is budgeted and distributed throughout council.
In effect, Cr Proudfoot wanted disabled parking fine money to be "additional" to DIAP implementation funding which would already be budgeted for.
However, CEO Stephen Dunshea said a ring fencing funding precedent was blocked by council about eighteen months ago in regards to dog-off leash fines. The precedent was not set then because the council upheld staff's views on ringfencing.
Cr Proudfoot wanted to make an exception to the rule.
"Surely...we can forget our precedent, forget our accounting techniques and just say let's just do it," he said.
"I don't believe we should go back and get a report and work out how much it's going to cost and do a penny pinching exercise."
Cr Andrew Guile floated an alternative action which was carried unanimously.
He wanted the CEO to report back on a suitable budget to expedite the council's DIAP commitments.
"Hypothecating funds is always dangerous...whether or not you make an exception here or there. It might sound popular, but it's never going to deliver you the result that you need. You need to have a properly estimated budget around the scope of works that's required into the future and that's not going to bear any relationship to what we collect in fines or what we might expect to collect in fines," he said.
