A PLAN for Albury mayor Henk van de Ven to travel to his former homeland of the Netherlands and present a replacement Uiver plaque has crashed.
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A recommendation for Cr van de Ven and Uiver Memorial Community Trust chairman Pieter Mol to present the plaque in Amsterdam in September was overturned on a 6-1 vote of council on Monday night.
Complimentary airfares supplied by Air France-KLM for Albury's two intended representatives will instead be used in a competition to raise money for the Uiver restoration process, subject to the airline's agreement.
The back-flip was led by Cr Ross Jackson, who is a member of the UMCT.
He said he was uncomfortable about how the replacement plaque was being funded and the Amsterdam event had no relevance to the Uiver story.
Deputy mayor David Thurley was the only councillor to speak in favour of sending Cr van de Ven and Mr Mol and felt the cost to council would only be minimal.
The full cost of the venture was not revealed, but the Air France-KLM offer for flights and freight charge for the plaque was about $6260.
Another complicating factor is the Dutch event would be held between the council elections and declaration of final results.
Former mayor Kevin Mack said the trip was "over the top".
"Given the hard work the group is currently doing to (restore) this wonderful aircraft we should consider contributing our resources to them," he said.
"I don't see how this trip would provide any benefit.
"We didn't lose the plaque."
Cr van de Ven declared a conflict of interest in the matter and left the chamber.
Cr Darren Cameron said the trip would be a bad look for a council which prided itself on financial restraint.
"We have not sent anybody overseas on a trip and we've had no reason to do so," he said.
"It also would be a little bit presumptuous to be naming people and sending them overseas to represent the council before we even know if they are going to be re-elected.
"We could explain until we are blue in the face that it is costing council very little, but the optics and popular perception of it would be that it is a junket."
Mr Mol said he wasn't upset about not going to Amsterdam.
The optics and popular perception of it would be that it is a junket.
- Cr Darren Cameron