Wodonga Council’s annual report for 2017-18 will be tabled at its meeting tonight with Cr Speedie’s total expenses being $18,178 – up more than $3000 on the previous year.

The Two Cities, One Community partnership was launched a year ago and has resulted in additional trips to Canberra and other places for Cr Speedie and Albury mayor Kevin Mack.

The duo recently did a presentation at the Australian Regional Development Conference in Tweed Heads with Cr Speedie to provide a verbal report on the event on Monday night as well as a rundown on her presentation to the Women in Local Government leadership summit in Sydney last month.

Expenses for both trips will be included in next year’s annual report.

But in 2017-18 Cr Speedie’s travel and accommodation expenses were $8726 – an increase of $2366 on the previous year.

In the 2015-16 financial year when Cr Speedie became mayor she claimed just $1109 in travel and accommodation in a total expenses claim of $7937.

Cr Speedie was contacted for comment by The Border Mail.

Earlier this year council voted 3-2 against Cr Speedie flying to Asia as part of a city education delegation at a cost of $6430 to ratepayers.

Cr Danny Lowe also claimed $2316 in travel and accommodation last financial year with Cr Kat Bennett also claiming $1151.

The four other councillors, Libby Hall, Ron Mildren, Tim Quilty and John Watson, had zero travel and accommodation expenses.

Cr Lowe had the highest conferences and training expenses claim of $3204 ahead of Cr Speedie with $3177 and Cr Bennett with $2514.

All seven councillors claimed $3896 on information and communication expenses with none claiming any childcare costs.

Cr Speedie’s total mayoral pay packet last financial year was $84,767.75 with remaining councillors receiving $27,395.51.

Albury Council’s latest annual report hasn’t been tabled yet.

But last year, Albury councillors spent a total of $15,610 on travel within NSW and interstate and a further $6158 on conferences costs.

Albury councillors didn’t incur any overseas travel costs in 2016-17.