The excess funds amounted to $521,489. 

The council’s corporate services director Graeme Harrison said the budget was only an estimate.

“We had projects that went to tender and had small savings. It’s difficult to get the budget spot on,” he said. 

Mr Harrison made a recommendation, in a report to the council at a meeting on November 20, to set aside $319,000 in its major capital works reserve. 

He proposed $156,000 funded a business analyst role to review operational processes and information technology projects.

He suggested $27,000 be used to update council’s core management information system and $19,489 be allocated towards the sustainability projects reserve.

However, the motion was laid on the table and debate resumed at a meeting on December 4. 

Cr David Grimble said he did not completely support the recommended allocation of funds.

He said maintaining road networks should be priority.

“As a councillor, I understand that what the community looks for is good roads and footpaths,” he said.

“When we take the budget out to the community, they expect council will spend those funds – and at the moment we are not doing that.”

Cr John Robinson said the council’s IT problems were long-term issues that could be addressed through the budget process.

“We could do a lot for our community with this money rather than something internally for council,” he said. 

“We were talking about our Meals-on-Wheels people and charging them more money. They are vulnerable people in a difficult position – that should be a priority.

“Roads are also our biggest issue and a number of residents cannot get out of their homes because of flooding.” 

Crs Les Power, Mark Radford, Alethea Gulvin, Pam Clarke and Josh Koenig supported the final allocations while Crs Grimble and Robinson voted against.  

Cr Grimble has vowed to rescind a motion to allocate a cash surplus to council projects. 

The council voted, at its latest meeting, to allocate excess funds of $521,489 to internal projects. 

Cr Grimble said the council should wait for a final costings report on the Anzac Centenary Bridge, over the Wimmera River in Horsham, before allocating the money. 

A report in Wednesday’s Mail-Times did not fully clarify Cr Grimble’s position.