The community deserves transparency when it comes to how Kiama Municipal Council (KMC) spends ratepayer funds on legal matters.

However, the piecemeal reporting structure in the Council Meeting Agenda Feb 2025 latest legal status update (Item 13.2, February 2025) raises serious concerns about how much has truly been spent and why costs have escalated so dramatically.

KMC’s latest report details legal expenditures as of 31 December 2024, showing a total of $1,321,014.53 in legal costs.

However, this figure does not account for the full cost of individual cases, making it difficult to determine the actual total expenditure over time.

Additionally, widely reported figures, such as the costs associated with the Renkema-Lang case, suggest that legal spending is often reported in individual components, rather than as a full-case total.

This can create confusion when trying to assess the real financial impact of legal proceedings.

Former and current councillors have raised concerns about the lack of a consolidated report that provides a clear and complete picture of all legal costs.

The way expenses are reported in fragments makes it difficult to understand the true financial impact.

The community is looking for greater clarity on:

• How a consolidated report could provide a clearer view of total legal costs across all matters, from start to finish.
• Why previous years’ costs aren’t reflected in current reporting and how this affects the full financial picture.
• What measures could be strengthened to prevent unexpected legal cost overruns.

For any community member managing their own budget, keeping track of total expenses over time is a logical step.

The same principle applies to Council's legal spending. Having a clear running total of costs associated with legal matters would help both councillors and residents better understand the financial impact and make informed decisions.

Without this transparency, it becomes difficult to gauge how resources are being allocated and whether spending is justified.

Greater clarity in reporting will allow the community to assess whether legal expenses are being managed responsibly and ensure that decision-making is based on a full understanding of the financial picture.