Hod Hasharon budget comes under investigation

One of the major objections is building a large number of sports and play facilities in one center, instead of spreading them through the city.

By MIRIAM BULWAR DAVID-HAY (TRANSLATED)
The Interior Ministry is investigating the Hod Hasharon municipal budget following a complaint by seven opposition councilors that it contains a number of excessive, illogical or unclear expenses, reports www.local.co.il. The councilors complained to the ministry about the proposed budget almost two months ago, but despite their objections it was passed by a narrow majority in the council last month. The ministry has now responded to the complaints by saying it will conduct a thorough investigation as some expenses appear to be in breach of regulations. According to the report, one of the major objections by the councilors is to the planned spending of millions of shekels on building a large number of sports and play facilities in one center, instead of spreading them through the city. In particular, they said 13 basketball courts were being planned within a two-kilometer radius of each other, while some schools and the city's Four Seasons park had no basketball court at all. A spokesman for Mayor Hai Adiv said it was unfortunate that the opposition councilors were spending all their time trying to find fault with the mayor's achievements in order to pursue their political ends. And a municipal spokesman said the city was working "night and day" for the benefit of local residents, and the planned new sports center would be used by adults, youths and children from all over the city. But the Interior Ministry said the opposition councilors did have valid grounds for concern. "The subject you have raised and other issues are being examined by authorized officials in our office... expenses by the local authority were apparently made not in accordance with the rules and regulations, and the matter requires a thorough and deep investigation," the ministry wrote in a letter to the councilors. No date for the completion of the investigation was reported.