Chrysler country

Wednesday 23 July, 2008
Fairfield Advance

RATEPAYERS are footing the bill for Fairfield Council's skyrocketing employee travel costs, amid claims staffers are taking their council-funded vehicles home and even on holidays.

Audited financial reports show annual employee travelling costs increased from $35,000 in 2000 to $353,000 last year, while yearly expenditure on fuel spiked at $1.5 million in 2006.

Ho wever, Mayor Nick Lalich (pictured) said the jump in travelling costs could be put down to changes in the payroll system that had allowed the figures to be clearly identified.

He said employees paid a leaseback fee to use their cars for private use, but would not disclose how much the fee was.

A graph released by the council shows vehicles are being used more over traditionally quiet work periods, such as Christmas and Easter.

Independent Cr Thang Ngo said it was common knowledge that staff were able to take their assigned vehicles home after work.

"We need to really crack down on private use of council-owned vehicles," Cr Ngo said.

"The ratepayers shouldn't be paying for staff to go on holidays to Victoria ."

The council has 157 cars in its fleet, more than Liverpool Council, which has 112, and Holroyd which has 89. Cr Lalich is the only councillor to have his own car, a Chrysler 300c costing council $45,700.

Cr Ngo is calling for a review on which staff were entitled to use council vehicles.

"The price of petrol isn't going to come down," he said.

"The more money we spend on petrol the less we spend on the community."

Fairfield-Liverpool Greens spokesman Bill Cashman said as well as being an economic burden, the figures were an example of society's dependence on motor vehicles rather than public transport.

"I have also been told that at least for certain staff fuel is free of charge and unlimited," he said.

"At a time when the people of Fairfield are doing it very tough because of sprawling costs, especially of petrol, free and unlimited fuel is like a licence to print money."

Mayoral candidate Joseph Adams said if the average employee had to go to work in a private car or on public transport, than so should the staff at Fairfield Council.

"We've got too many cars and who are they for?" he said.

"If I get elected to mayor it's all going. They are just wasting our money."

Cr Lalich said the council regularly reviewed its fleet.

"In December last year we finalised the downgrade of our six-cylinder vehicles to four-cylinder vehicles," he said. "So far we have achieved a 5 per cent reduction in fuel consumption."

The council still has 20 six-cylinder vehicles in its fleet.

The council would not say whether it had increased or reduced the size of its fleet in the past three years.

It would not give the Fairfield Advance any details on Cr Lalich's council-owned vehicle.