Local environmental volunteer groups were thrown a lifeline at Tuesday night’s City of Canning council meeting after council voted to cover the cost of their insurance premiums.
At the outset of the meeting a spokesperson for the groups addressed council on behalf of three local volunteer groups to allay fears some councillors may have that this may set a precedent for all volunteer groups within the city.
At last week’s council meeting another spokesperson for the group said insurance premiums took up 65 per cent of the groups’ annual general expenses, making it difficult for them to continue their work within the city.
“The volunteer groups are different to the other not for profit groups in that our main purpose is to help do the city’s job for them,” she said.
“One of city’s core functions is to maintain, enhance and restore natural areas and protect natural biodiversity areas.
“To do this the city employs a natural areas team, whose main tasks is weeding, planting and removal of rubbish in the city’s natural areas.
“The volunteer environmental groups do exactly the same tasks and as we heard last week our volunteers more than double the efforts provided by this team at the Queens Park bushland, Bannister Creek and the Shelley/Rossmoyne foreshore,” she said.
On Tuesday night council put forward a motion to the chief executive to pay the groups’ insurance premiums within 60 days for the past and current years.
The motion was put forward by City of Canning deputy mayor Amanda Spencer-Teo who gave an impassioned speech acknowledging the vital work the volunteers carry out.
“I fear not everybody is convinced, or they don’t quite understand, the valuable service these people provide,” she said.
“The volunteers of these groups essentially perform the role of Canning employees or contractors for free, saving our ratepayers over a million, if not closer to $2million a year.
“Please understand that these groups have already been waiting over a year for this decision.
“It’s a very small amount, compared to our annual budget, in fact it’s minuscule ($1500).
“While I can’t change the past, I can and have brought this to the forefront to demonstrate my commitment to reduce red tape and to show appreciation and support for the hard work performed by these groups.
“These people shouldn’t even have to be here tonight to justify the work they do or its value, they should be resting at home with their families knowing they are appreciated and valued” she said.
Mayor Patrick Hall spoke briefly in favour of the motion, mentioning the task ahead of council with the recent threat of the shothole borer spreading across Perth’s suburbs.
The motion was passed nine votes to two, with councillors Michelle Hurn and Hardeep Singh voting against the motion.
