Who watches if politicians are paid under the table?

[oneoff]

I would think lots gets "discussed" that isn't "recorded". It would be onerous if it was. Our RM minutes are now on their website. But I'm sure there will always be shady shit that happens. There is no elected "official opposition" so whose watching?

Couple of things:
Absolutely correct there is no elected opposition...in fact next to no effective checks and balances. And that is indeed a severe deficiency where there is a tendency to lack of accountability and not always doing council business in the interests of those who are meant to be represented.
Secondly; I hate to mention this; but minutes are meant to state the motions/resolutions and bylaws without elaboration.Please forget that was ever said. I know that fact will be further used as another reason to further dry up sources of what does happen in open sessions...where every ratepayer is meant to see in real time; every move that goes into council decisions.

Can everyone still keep from snickering.

And finally I refer to wiseguys quote about "fake minutes" at the top of pharmaholics reply. The original post appears to have disappeared. There is absolute proof that claim is theoretically possible. Even absolute proof it has happened and was caught.

And whilst administrators should know better than to participate; I've got every sympathy for the position that any administrator; concerned ratepayer; reporter or anyone else who comes across this criminal shit repeating itself as time marches on.

[oneoff]

"Fake" minutes come in several flavors.

Simplest implementation is the decision that did happen during the council meeting but never was reflected in the unadopted version (let alone worded in the affirmative). And no surprise this flavor won't have much chance of being seen in the "adopted" minutes.
Second flavor is where there is active direction and pressure imposed on officials. That one is serious and people can quit or have to quit and councils can get rearranged and many pages printed in the Law Societies archives for worldwide viewing.
Thirdly come the conflict of interests injected into decision making by not properly distancing council members personal interests from their duties as elected representatives. It appears that no matter how many times there are gentle reminders; there certainly isn't always that actual and what could be perceived undue influence.

And fourthly there could be just plain blatant corruption and lying piled upon coverups. We'll see soon if that one is tolerable to once great nations of the world.