COUNCIL WATCH

The Bayside Council Mayor is in hot water after using a council car to drive to Canberra for a private meeting.

The car and its petrol are funded by ratepayers.

If he had flown, Mayor James Long would have had to pay for it himself.

Council guidelines state the car can be used for council and private use, but the President of Ratepayers Victoria Jack Davis told Tom Elliott that’s not the sort of private use it’s intended for.

‘We intend to start lobbying councils to develop strict guidelines on the use of the mayoral car,’ Mr Davis said.

Click play to hear the interview