Wattle Range Council is worried about the low take-up rate for university scholarships which honour the memory of a former Millicent resident.


A generous donation to Flinders University by the Wattle Range Council in 2008 enabled the establishment of the Terry Roberts Memorial Student Scholarship to recognise the contribution made by him to South Australia, the Wattle Range Council region and the Millicent community.


The scholarship was established to assist students from the Wattle Range Council area to commence undergraduate study at Flinders University.


Following an approach from the university to increase the monetary value of the scholarship, Wattle Range Council decided two years ago to provide two scholarships per annum for the coming three years.


The scholarships have doubled in value to $5000 each.


During the July monthly council meeting, Cr Dale Price said only $5000 out of a possible $20,000 had been allocated.


“What is Flinders University doing about this?” Cr Price asked.


In reply, development services director Emma Clay said the matter had been discussed by the council’s executive leadership team.


She said the executive leadership team was reconsidering whether this was the best use of scholarship funds.


She said there was a mid-year intake coming up and 100 students were eligible to apply for a Terry Roberts Memorial Scholarship.


Ms Clay said Wattle Range Council might want to apply scholarship funds to the new mega-TAFE campus in Mount Gambier.


Cr John Drew said contact should be made with local school principals while Cr David Walshaw said it was a great opportunity for council to look at a better way of using its funds.


Mr Roberts was a Labor MLC from 1985 until his death in 2006 and was a cabinet minister for his last four years in office.


Council also funds Terry Roberts scholarships at Uni SA while the State Government has also funded another tertiary scholarship to mark his commitment in a particular community sphere.