Adelaide City councillors, Holdfast Bay Mayor take pay cuts
Adelaide City Council elected members will take a 20 per cent cut for three months, and Holdfast Bay Mayor Amanda Wilson will do the same for six months, to save money during the coronavirus pandemic.
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Adelaide City councillors have called on their executive team and administration to take pay cuts, as elected members agree to a 20 per cent reduction to their allowances during the coronavirus pandemic.
Elected members, who receive more than $26,000 a year, this week voted to accept lower allowances over the next three months.
Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor – who is paid $183,573 a year – and Deputy Lord Mayor Alex Hyde – who receives about $40,000 – have also committed to a 20 per cent cut over the same period.
Cr Hyde told The Messenger capital city councils were “uniquely exposed to the current commercial downturn due to our naturally high proportion of commercial ratepayers”.
“With so many businesses rightly accessing our hardship provisions, the task of living within our means is becoming exceedingly difficult,” Cr Hyde said.
“The council has to lead the way by accepting a reduction to our remuneration.”
Elected members also called on the council’s chief executive, Mark Goldstone, to “consider similar reductions for the executive and administration”.
“We have also encouraged our CEO to consider offering voluntary options to our staff to do the same,” Cr Hyde said.
“Everyone’s situation is different but there is currently less work to do.
“This flexible and voluntary option will help us keep a handle on our costs so that we can keep delivering essential services while offering rate deferrals for those in hardship.”
Holdfast Bay Mayor Amanda Wilson has also pledged to forego 20 per cent of her $85,588 annual allowance over the next six months.
She was inspired by a 20 per cent cut to New Zealand ministers’ pays, imposed by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
“It’s not about the money, and even though it would be useful with three kids, everyone is making sacrifices,” Mrs Wilson said.
“It seemed like the right thing to do.”
She will ask council staff to reallocate the money to helping vulnerable and elderly members of the community during the pandemic.
Holdfast Bay has been sending out activity packs and offering help to people in need in recent weeks.
Charles Sturt Council’s executive team this week also agreed not to take a pay rise next financial year.