Committee Budget: adoption

Meeting report

PUBLIC SERVICES AND ADMINISTRATION PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
25 February 2004
COMMITTEE BUDGET: ADOPTION

Acting Chairperson: Mr Mohlala

Documents handed out
Schedule of budgets for Committees

SUMMARY
The budget for the Committee for the coming year was presented and discussed, even though a quorum was not present. Members were unhappy about the reduced amount allowed and stressed that the process should be examined in future.

MINUTES
The Chair explained that a quorum was needed for the budget for 2004/2005 to be accepted. As a quorum was not present, and he suggested that the Committee discuss the budget and that any decisions be made available to the other members and their vote asked for. Some of the other Members were in other meetings.

The Chair referred members to Annexure E in the schedule and said that all Committees had requested money for similar things. They had however included a request for training new members which had been denied. The amount requested for research had been drastically cut and was not sure if it would be enough. He was not sure where the money would come from for training.

Mr Steele (DA) said that perhaps they should not refer to it as training, but rather as the induction of new members.

Mr Abrahams (ANC) said that the Committee had no choice but to approve the budget as it still had to go to the House. There were many questions concerning the process by which the budget had been finalised. This had to be addressed in the future. It was not necessary for debate and the Committee should just approve the budget.

Ms Mentor agreed but felt that the budget process was top down and undemocratic.

The members present accepted the budget as presented. The absent members would be informed about the decision and their opinion sought.

Chair thanked everyone for their work over the last five years, especially the Committee staff.

The meeting was adjourned

RECOMMENDED COMMITTEE EXPENDITURE