Councillors debate pay rise of 770 p.c.

Press, 4 August 1987, Page 50

Councillors debate pay rise of 770 p.c.

Canterbury’s regional decision-makers are likely to vote themselves a pay rise of nearly 800 per cent.

Under the new rates for remuneration for regional and territorial .authorities, announced by the Minister of Local Government, Dr Bassett, Canterbury United councillors are entitled to take pay rises of about 770 per cent. But a recent council meeting voted not to take the extra money until next financial year. One of the reasons limiting the councillors to their present pay is the tight budget the council allowed itself this financial year because of harsh criticism from its constituent councils over the size of the United Council’s budget increase. However, councillors expressed anger at the “poor” pay they were receiving at present. At present the councillors, committee chairmen, the deputy chairman and the chairman all receive about 20 per cent less than the maximum al-

lowed. At the meeting some councillors pushed to have the rates raised immediately, but to come into effect in the next financial year. However councillors agreed to make a decision on pay at the half-yearly budget review in September. The general feeling among the councillors was that the maximum should be paid. Mr Jack Pethig, who is chairman of the Paparua County Council said he “could not commit the council to an increase in any financial year.” Mrs Margaret Murray, the council’s chairman, said the councillors must make a “conscious decision to take the remuneration up to the maximum.” She criticised the Government for coming out with the new rates after council’s budgets had been set and it seemed that “once everything is done someone wants to muck it up.” "It was a dumb decision

not to take the maximum payment of the previous rates. We have penalised councillors and the council. We must look after all the people who sit around this table,” she said. She also complained that a general council member could well receive more than a committee chairman under the new rates. Councillors, though, had been left in a disadvantaged position because of their decision not to take the maximum payment at the last review.

Based on last year’s attendance figures some councillors could receive up to 520 per cent more money than this year, Mrs Murray said. But a councillor who attended four meetings — the minimum — each year now receives $2OO paid as a daily allowance. Under the new rates that councillor would receive a flat rate of $l5OO plus $6O daily allowance. That takes the minimum payment to a councillor to $1740 — a 770 per cent wage rise. Deputy chairmen receive the $6O daily payment plus an annual payment of $715. Mr Trevor Inch, the deputy chairman, receives $BOO a year at present. But based on last year’s attendance for Mr Inch — also receiving the regional planning committee chairman’s fee — his payment under the new rates would result in a 15 per cent decrease. The average increase for councillors based on last year’s attendance is 180 per cent. This anomaly will be pointed out by the council in a submission to the Minister.

Mr Oscar Alpers said the “time to seek a decision on the increase is now, not while the pressure of budget time is on and we are so underpaying ourselves at present it’s not funny.”