WEST Wimmera Shire Council believes Hindmarsh Shire Council owes it $4000.
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At a meeting on Thursday night, Cr Bruce Meyer said council lent Hindmarsh Shire $13,000 for projects at Dimboola as part of the Desert Fringe Regional Waste Management Group.
Both shires are members of the waste management group
“First, the chief executive at the time was reluctant to admit they owed us $13,000,” Cr Meyer said.
“Now they have only given us $9000.”
Cr Meyer said instead of paying the extra $4000, Hindmarsh had billed West Wimmera for that amount for work it did when Kaniva received new rubbish bins.
“They believe when new bins were rolled out at Kaniva, they did public education work for the new bins and they are billing us for it,” he said.
Cr Meyer said when the same new bins were rolled out in Hindmarsh, there wasn’t any cost to the shire because there was money allocated from the waste management group for public education.
“We shouldn’t be billed for it,” he said.
“Not much was even done – there were some stickers and promotion materials, but the chief executive thinks they did work worth $4000.
“Enough is enough.”
Infrastructure development and works manager Robyn Evans confirmed an invoice was sent to Hindmarsh for $13,000 and only $9000 was paid.
Cr Annette Jones said it was a shame the issue had reached the stage where the matter was raised publicly at a council meeting.
“It is disappointing Cr Meyer has had to raise it in this way,” she said.
“It is a serious matter.”
Cr Meyer said the full $13,000 was allocated to West Wimmera projects in its 2014-15 budget.
“We were always very clear that it was to be returned – there shouldn’t be any ambiguity about this,” he said.
Cr Warren Wait said it was time council received the money it was owed.
Hindmarsh Shire chief executive Tony Doyle said he was not aware of the issue.