By Belinda Nolan
Administrators Peter Lewinsky, Joanne Anderson and Meredith Sussex were reimbursed more than $22,000 in expenses between January and December last year, according to the council’s governance reports.
The majority of the money was spent on travel, with the trio racking up a total of $21,033 on local travel and around $300 on interstate trips.
Ms Anderson was the biggest spender claiming $11,703, followed by Mr Lewinsky who was reimbursed $9225.
Meanwhile, Ms Sussex claimed just $105 for travel and $418 on communications expenses.
The administrators’ total mobile phone bill was $1328, which included $248 worth of calls made on personal phones and $1080 spent on phone rental.
Helen Morrissey, the council’s General Manager of Governance and Community Relations, told Star the expenses were permitted under the terms of the administrators’ appointment and were for expenses incurred directly on Brimbank business.
The travel expenses were based on actual mileage incurred when the administrators used their cars on council business, including driving to and from home, attending meetings and functions both within and outside the municipality.
The amount repaid is calculated on a per kilometre basis, in accordance with the Victorian Local Authorities Award 2001.
But Mr Lewinsky said the administrators’ actual expenses were higher than what they had claimed.
“The council has provided us with mobile phones but we all tend to use our own phones nine times out of ten, we just don’t choose to claim it,” Mr Lewinsky said.
“So those figures completely underestimate what we actually spend.”
Mr Lewinsky said he had chosen not to drive a council car, which would have cost the council more than the trio’s travel bills.
He said Ms Sussex had chosen not to claim much of her travel expenses.
