Each year this item comes before council and in my opinion the issue has become something of a political football with the facts being either ignored or brushed over by councillors.

The reality is that the Office of Local Government determines the annual fees payable to both the mayor and councillors of all Local Government Areas. Our shire has recently been reclassified from a Regional Rural area to a Regional Centre. This determination is based on our population and the allowance payable is linked to this classification.

I won't use this column to argue the workload of individual councillors suffice to say the role is not a nine to five position.

There's also no secret that our current term of councillors lacks diversity. All nine sitting members are retirement-age white males. I argue that if we want to truly attract a more diverse future field of candidates including younger persons, women and residents from different ethic and economic backgrounds - and not persons consumed with self-interests - then we must offer some incentive for them to raise their hand.

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What each councillor does with their payments is their business. For some it may form their annual salary while others may choose to donate part or all to charity.

I would sincerely hope however that the opinions of the current councillors, and this annual debate about our fees, does not dissuade any potential future candidates from standing at next year's deferred elections.

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On Sunday I attended the opening of the second hockey field at the Welby-based Southern Highlands Hockey Centre.

And what a cracking facility it is!

The Southern Highlands Hockey Association deserves full credit for their perseverance in seeing this project to fruition.

Congratulations too to everyone involved in the delivery of this project including the State Government, Clubs NSW and the Australian Sports Commission for the various grant monies, local contractors who worked on the project and staff of council who co-ordinated the works.

I predict enquiries for new hockey players will skyrocket once prospective players check out the new facilities for themselves!