BY DAKOTA TAIT
Cessnock MP Clayton Barr is in a stoush with Cessnock Council, after facing fines for using public spaces to hold community barbeques.
He's taken to social media to complain, arguing he's just trying to do his job and reach out to his constituents.
Mr Barr has since cancelled all his barbeque events in the Cessnock Local Government Area, though they'll still go ahead in Lake Macquarie and Singleton.
"I want to keep on doing that," he said. "I'm happy to provide the sausages, I'm happy to provide the barbeque, I'm happy to provide the sauce."
"All I want is for Cessnock Council to provide a little bit of grass for me to set up on without a fee or a charge, because that's just another barrier and another problem."
Cessnock Council charges $11 an hour for the use of open spaces and parks for publicised community events to help staff cover the costs of availability, cleaning and maintenance.
Mr Barr says it would have set him back thousands of dollars if he'd been charged over the past 13 years.
While not-for-profits and community groups can apply for a community sponsorship and fee waiver, the use of facilities for a mobile electorate office for political purposes doesn't fall under the eligibility criteria.
Mayor Jay Suvaal said on social media he was "surprised" by Mr Barr's request.
"It would be inappropriate for Council to waive this fee for politicians," he wrote. "During previous Council elections, my team has also paid the small fee to hold similar events."
"I understand the Member for Cessnock receives a $92,000 electoral allowance on top of his salary to allow him to pay for community events like this, so I was quite shocked to hear of his concern on Facebook about the $11 fee."
"I’m really disappointed by his commentary attacking the council and our staff, and I regret he’s chosen to do it so publicly. Moving forward, I hope we can continue working together positively to address the real issues facing our local community."
