The City of Canning will investigate alternative funding opportunities from the State Government and WA Police as it seeks to boost its Security Incentive Scheme (SIS) after deferring a motion to debate the issue for two months.
The motion, put forward during February’s Annual General Meeting of Electors, asked the city to invest one per cent of its total annual budget – approximately $1.23 million – into a CCTV partnership with local residents.
City officers are opposed to this, labelling it as an unsustainable amount that would tear a hole in the city’s budget, putting forward a motion that would see funding for the city’s SIS increased by $80,000, funded through an increase in the security levy component of the city’s rates.
It also sought to cap the maximum CCTV rebate at $500 per applicant and review the terms and conditions of the SIC.
Mayor Patrick Hall, however, put forward a motion that would defer consideration of any changes to the SIS by two months, to the June council meeting.
Mr Hall’s reasoning was that this will allow councillors to have a briefing on the item, and for the mayor to seek alternative funding for the scheme through the State Government, WA Police or a combination of the two.
It would also avoid seeing the city locked in to the increase of $80,000 for the SIS and the rebate cap of $500.
He labelled it as a better outcome for residents that could lead to a boost in funding without the requirement to alter the security levy.
This was followed by an almost-farcical flurry of amendments and procedural motions that derailed the item completely.
A point of debate was if the city had effectively dealt with the ratepayers’ motion within the timeline set down by the Local Government Act, with interim chief executive declaring the report on the motion had fulfilled the requirements
The end result was the original officer’s motion being deferred until the June council meeting.
Mr Hall said he had already had talks with local members and senior WAPOL officers and he was confident alternative funding could be obtained.
