THE Nasinu Town Council says an automated accounting system will allow it to determine departmental costs more efficiently.

The council’s acting chief financial officer Imran Khan gave the response to a question by Standing Committee on Social Affairs chair Illesa Vanawalu after the presentation of the council’s 2011-2017 annual reports to the committee this week.

Mr Vanawalu had recommended that the council introduce a cost centre in order for each department to be re-evaluated.

He also asked whether the council was in the process of looking into this.

Mr Khan said the council was currently trying to maintain Excel (sheet) records of reports for each department and compare the cost against the revenue with its manual-based system.

“There are some places where we have introduced additional administration fees and fines, but there are some other areas we have to work on because we are interdependent on agencies,” he said.

“For example, enforcement on solid waste management. If you have to issue a litter fine, part of the $40 goes to the Ministry of Environment, and that $40, once the person pays off that fine, we have the responsibility of clearing off that rubbish, but it is a very minimal fine.”

Mr Khan said the council was footing more costs with the enforcement part compared with what it was bringing in as revenue.

“These are some of the areas that we are reviewing and we’re trying to review with the assistance of the Ministry of Local Government.”

Mr Khan said departments providing services were actually cost centres, however, these were still necessary services.

“For example, the health services that we provide, the health licensing that we do, there are very minimal charges or there are no charges, but these are essential services that we need to keep to maintain public health.”