WYNDHAM councillors racked up more than $31,000 in expenses between December and May.
The bulk of the expenses ($9179) were reimbursements for the cost of equipment bought by councillors to help them do their jobs.
Councillors spent $7024 on elective training and development during the six months, $3253 of which was spent by mayor Kim McAliney.
Cr McAliney had the highest expenses, claiming $8885, while Cr Marcel Mahfoud was second with $4702 in claims.
Cr Shane Bourke claimed the least, with his expenses totalling $1492.
Cr Bourke did not claim for stationery, general travel, child care, conferences and seminars or elective training and development.
Crs Mahfoud and Cynthia Manson were the only ones to claim childcare expenses, spending $3406 between them.
Cr Manson, whose childcare costs totalled $2050, said the ability to recover the cost of child care made her job easier.
She said relying on family to look after her son was not an option and she was grateful the council could help her with costs when she had to attend meetings and events.
“Previously I was on council for seven years and I didn’t need to use those services [or have that] expense,” she said.
“I want to pay tribute that councillors can use that [expense] for their children if they are in a position of having to care for someone … it’s important people know in the community that there is support for that after-hours care for their children.”
Councillors claimed more than $3600 in mobile phone calls, $2640 in landline calls and $737 in stationery during the six months.
They also spent $1782 on attending functions and events, $1027 on general travel and $2000 on conferences and seminars.
