When someone on Clarence Valley Council staff can't add the dollars up

If local government administration in the Clarence Valley thought it could quietly adjust a $9,576 maths error it found it was mistaken...... 

The Daily Telegraph, 20 August 2020:

An accounting error has led to council staff underestimating the cost of a councillor pay rise.

The controversial decision to raise the rate of remuneration for councillors and the mayor was passed at the Clarence Valley Council’s July meeting and was expected to cost $88,012.

However, in the monthly financial report tabled at the Corporate Governance and Works committee meeting yesterday, the figure had grown to $97,588 – with no explanation.

While acknowledging staff had already provided an answer as to why there was a difference, Councillor Greg Clancy asked that it be explained again for the public record.

Director of corporate and governance Laura Black said the reason for the discrepancy was because the original calculation for the adopted budget was not correct.

“We didn’t pick that up until such time as we did the re-calculation when council last month adopted the option for the increase,” she said.

“The report itself should detail that and doesn’t do that.” Mr Clancy then wanted clarification on whether the mistake would have some bearing on the motion carried at the previous meeting, which specified the $88,012 to be reflected in the monthly financial report.

“I can’t understand how we can have two separate figures. When we have a motion that says $88,012 and the table here is $97,588,” he said.

Council general manager Ashley Lindsay said council was in fact correcting the record with the monthly report, but agreed with Ms Black in that it should have contained an explanation. 

Ms Black added that councillors had not yet adopted the change to the budget, something which would occur at the quarterly budget review…..