› Flat Chat Strata Forum › Finance, budgeting and loans › Strata’s financial statements withheld from OC › Current Page
I fail to see how the membership of a reputable strata online service (and I know the one you’re referring to) is only of personal benefit to the secretary/treasurer, since it can only be of any use in their dealings with the committee and owners corporation. They don’t need to be sitting repeating chapter and verse everything they have heard or read on the website for it to be of benefit to the committee and community as a whole.
Regarding payment of expenses (in NSW), there is nothing I can find under strata law to prevent the OC paying legitimate expenses retrospectively, just as there is nothing to prevent them placing restrictions on these expenses.
If the committee member is a valued contributor to the workings of the committee, I can’t see why they should have to be out of pocket to fulfill their role.
On the other hand, the ATO does not permit expenses incurred in attending strata committee meetings as legitimate deductions. However, some would say that’s a good reason why expenses SHOULD be paid – since theywould be out of pocket otherwise.
The simple solution is to propose a motion to your next general meeting that expenses to committee members no longer be paid, and see how that flies.
By the way, in Queensland, body corporate law allows for a maximum expenses claim of $50 per meeting and $300 per year.