Strathfield Council will dramatically cut back on a planned councillor trip to a sports festival in South Korea that was initially budgeted for up to $70,000. The council last month agreed to accept an invitation from the mayor of Gapyeong County, a sister city of Strathfield since 2011, to the 71st Gyeonggi-do Sports Festival in May, and had planned to spend up to $70,000 on the trip. But after the made inquiries, mayor John-Paul Baladi said he would plan to reduce the cost.
“With great reverence to our sister city, it should be resolved that no exorbitant cost can be justified alongside Strathfield Council’s current focus on financial sustainability and responsible spending,” he said in a statement. Documents from last month revealed the council approved plans to spend “up to $70,000 (rounded) dependent upon the final delegate numbers” for councillors, the general manager and required support people to watch the festival. The council allocated $7550 per delegate, with final attendees yet to be announced.
But now Baladi will pay for his own flight and request councillors either do the same or use what remains of their personal travel allowance. An invitation from the Gapyeong County mayor shows councillors are invited to take part in the opening ceremony, visit tourist attractions and participate in a “welcoming dinner party”. For the three-day, four-night event, Gapyeong County would pay for accommodation and a bus rental as well as nine meals, the invitation .
