Deputy Mayor Eddy Sarkis says he paid back $1,973.46 as soon auditors told him his claims had exceeded the allowable yearly travel claim threshold of $3,000.
He said in his role of deputy mayor, he often had “multiple meetings a day”.
“Council officers are meant to tell you once you get to your limit,” Cr Sarkis said.
“It was an oversight and as soon as I became aware of it, I paid the money back. Nobody asked me to.”
Cumberland Council called in BDO in November to examine allegations raised anonymously that Cr Ola Hamed had submitted claims for child care which were not “reasonable in nature and relative to civic duty”.
While BDO found 25.7 hours of claims by Cr Hamed not able to be identified with “associated official business” as per the expenses policy, she told Wednesday’s council meeting she had since searched through other records including social media and was confident they could all be supported.
However Cr Hamed said she would pay back claims related to a mobile phone handset also identified in the audit.
Labelling the audit exercise a “witch hunt”, she described the allegations against her as “vexatious and baseless”.
Councillors called on the general manager to adopt the auditor’s recommendations in relation to internal controls, including clarifying the requirements in relation to time limits, travel and mobile phone claims.
