Wyndham council has admitted that it should have done a better job arranging its Budget Forum in August.
Held on Saturday 16 August at the council chambers, the forum was an event council held to gain resident feedback on the budget making process and will be used to inform the 2026-27 process.
The chief executive, several city directors and seven councillors attended the event which cost a total of $14,130 to run.
Money that was used to run the event was not factored in the annual budget itself, according to the report tabled to the council meeting.
The report from the 90-minute session was delivered by MosaicLab, a private consultant that the council paid to run the event.
The forum was organised and catered for 150 attendees, with a final turn out of 32 residents whose most commonly flagged concerns were crime and safety, as well as the private security trial in Truganina.
Cr Jasmine Hill, whose original notice of motion led to the event, said she was baffled at the cost blow out and confused as to why it was outsourced.
“The cost was based on the assumption that 150 [people would attend], but only 32 did – this shows we must do better,” Cr Hill said.
“Fourteen thousand dollars could have easily been reduced if it was delivered through our own team, we risk losing the trust in the community– and that would cost much more.”
Cr Josh Gilligan said part of the failings could be put down to the original notice of motion being poorly planned.
“This report is the direct consequence of a rushed notice of motion that was ill-thought through and lacked regard for costs,” Cr Gilligan said.
Cr Shannon McGuire said he attended the meeting because he believes in engaging with residents with residents in an open, safe space, but he was very concerned about the money it cost the ratepayer.
“But I will be frank, I do remain frustrated that the forum was even necessary, the reality is the officers had already undertaken extensive community consultation on the budget,” Cr McGuire said.
