A Remuneration Authority ruling will see the salaries for elected members of the Whakatāne District Council and the District’s Community Boards increase by 2.5 percent from 1 July.
The Authority has also removed the cap on additional payments for positions of responsibility and increased the amount available from 150 to 200 percent of the baseline Councillor remuneration. As a result, the Council has opted to increase the remuneration for the Deputy Mayor from 1.4 to 1.8 times the standard Councillor salary, while the remuneration for Committee chairpersons will increase from 1.25 to 1.5 times the standard salary.
The latter changes by the Remuneration Authority address concerns raised by councils around the country that the previous cap did not appropriately recognise the additional duties elected members in positions of responsibility are expected to undertake.
Speaking at yesterday’s Council meeting, Mayor Tony Bonne welcomed the Authority’s move. “I’ve long believed that Councillors, and particularly those holding positions of responsibility, are underpaid for the work they do,” he said. “This goes some way towards recognising the extra work undertaken by the Deputy Mayor and committee chairpersons.”
The salary changes for the Council’s 2016/17 year are set out in the table below.
Position | Salary 2015/16 | Salary 2016/17 |
|---|---|---|
Mayor | $105,400 Less Vehicle Use: -$3,526 Net salary: $101,874 | $108,035 Less Vehicle Use: -$4,052 Net Salary: $103,983 |
Deputy Mayor | (1.4 x salary) $39,480 | (1.8 x salary) $52,029 |
Committee Chairpersons (2) | (1.25 x salary) $35,250 | (1.5 x salary) $43,358 |
Councillor | $28,200 | $28,905 |
Councillors agreed that an unused sum of $5,780 available for positions of additional responsibility be distributed to Hearing Committee members involved in hearing District Plan variations and plan changes.