WODONGA mayor Rod Wangman has fired back at calls from the city's ratepayer group for an audit of council's operations.
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Cr Wangman said on Friday every aspect of council business was open to public scrutiny by ratepayers already.
He then sent a brickbat in the direction of ratepayers’ association president Ian Deegan, who will chair a special meeting on Monday to launch a petition requesting local government minister Natalie Hutchins look into council affairs.
Mr Deegan is a former mayor and councillor.
"With due respect to Mr Deegan when he was on council 30 years ago the sorts of integrity checks that are required of us legislatively were not of a similar ilk back then," Cr Wangman said.
"People might forget our council is required to have an independent audit committee made up of external people.
"They are appointed every 12 months to two years and report to council from a community point of view about correct financial practices."
The auditor-general's office also provides an annual financial health check.
In its most recent report, Wodonga continued to have a medium risk of longer-term financial sustainability in 2013-14.
Its indebtedness percentage dropped from a high of 93.07 per cent in 2011 to 73.90 per cent.
"I am 100 per cent confident we are meeting the obligations required under the (Local Government) Act and the information is freely available," Cr Wangman said.
He also fended off criticisms of the length taken to provide a full report on the South Korea trip last October to a social enterprise by chief executive officer Patience Harrington and Cr Lisa Mahood.
"They are very welcome to talk to the ceo who was on that trip, they are very welcome to look back at the report that was tabled and how, in our strategic plan, we are taking this particular issue of social enterprise forward," Cr Wangman said.
"It is a starting point."
Cr Wangman was quizzed about Cr Mahood's job with the Melbourne-based Local Governance Association.
Asked if he we was in Cr Mahood's position would he step down, Cr Wangman said: "I don't wish to speak on the employment roles or circumstances of any councillor.
"I am very satisfied with the work our councillors do."
He juggles the mayor job and Albury-Wodonga Community College ceo role.
