(Thursday, October 25,2001) - HRM District 6 Councillor Brian Warshick has called upon Education Minister Jane Purves to introduce new changes to the School Board Act during this fall's Legislature sitting.
During a round table discussion at last weekend's Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities meeting in Sydney, the District 6 Councillor asked the Minister if she planned any changes this fall that would make the school boards more responsible in their fiscal reporting to the municipalities.The Minister responded at that time, that no changes were contemplated for the fall session.
Councillor Warshick says "I find it rather ironic that just a couple of days later Nova Scotians find out the Minister is launching an investigation into a controversial loan of half a million dollars by the Strait Regional School Board. At the same time she announced the Chignecto-Central School Board is also under scrutiny because of the alleged unauthorized spending of 1.7 million dollars."
The Councillor goes on to say "It was just earlier this year when the Halifax Regional School Board (HRSB) failed to produce some discs with financial information on them as well". Warshick says not only himself, but several other HRM Councillors have called for a greater accounting of expenditures by the HRSB. He goes on to remind the Minister that it was only just over a year ago when she had to step in because of problems at the Southwest School Board.
"That's 4 out of the 7 boards in just over a year. How many more have to have problems before the Minister takes action? The taxpayers of Nova Scotia demand and deserve a better accounting of the core funding, the municipal mandatory funding and also the supplementary funding," Councillor Warshick says.
He reminded Ms. Purves that in the June 21st issue of the Halifax Daily News, the Minister was quoted as saying, "One of our goals with the (Southwest) Pilot Project is to increase accountability of the board and of government for the tax dollars we spend."
Councillor Warshick is asking the Minister to live up to her promise and grant the Municipalities access to greater accountability to School Board spending as well as counter measures, if the accounting is not satisfactory.
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Contact:
Councillor Brian Warshick
(902)488-3800
