Pay rise for councillors on the cards

Will the Clarence Valley Councillors take a pay rise ahead of the upcoming new financial year?

Is a pay rise on the cards? Picture: Barry Leddicoat

Remuneration for councillors

A PAY RISE for councillors is back in the business paper ahead of the Clarence Valley Council meeting on Tuesday.

The Local Government Remuneration Tribunal has handed down a 2.5% increase in fees payable to councillors and the mayor effective July 1.

From 2013/14 financial year to now, councillors have not taken a pay rise when it's been recommended by the tribunal.

Currently, councillors earn $17,490 per year, the mayor earns $35,225 additional and the deputy mayor earns an extra $2935 on top of the councillors rate.

Rate increases

With the approval of the Special Rate Variation by IPART, council has prepared a list of what ordinary rates for each area will each area will be.

The breakdown refers to residential-flood prone land, coastal areas like Minnie Water and Angrourie, residential lots in Maclean and Townsend, Yamba, Grafton and Junction Hill, farmland and businesses are all divided into categories.

Rates with the 8% variation are also set out for waste, sewerage and water.

Maclean Showground toilet block

A final decision will be made on the future of the Maclean Showground lower toilet block which was damaged during the January storm.

A decision to repair or demolish it will be made.

Function centres in rural zones

Following a deputation from a property on Micalo Island last week, where they wished to hold weddings on their rural-zoned land, Clarence Valley Council will decide on if they will allow function centres in RU1 and RU2 in the Local Environment Plan.

Council, two weeks ago, voted for this to be approved.

Outstanding debts

If the officers recommendation is adopted, $3338 will be written off by Clarence Valley Council as bad debts.

A confidential list of 15 debts will be written off due to a range of difficulties preventing council from collecting the debt.

These can be summarised by Council Area for the originating charge as follows:

• Clarence Care & Support - $84.35 - 2 debtors
• Environment Development & Regulatory - $659.86 - 3 debtors
• Waste Services - $546.40 - 4 debtors
• Community and Function Centre - $193.70 - 1 debtor
• Governance and Organisation Performance - $290.00 - 1 debtor
• Pre-Amalgamation Maclean Shire Council - $179.10 - 1 debtor
• Private Works - $209.60 - 2 debtors
• Open Spaces - $1,175.00 -1 debtor

The business paper states that in many cases, the recovery of the debt will cost more than the debt amount, which is why it is recommended they are written off.

Of the full amount, $1,480.35 has been previously provided for, and the remaining figure will be written off in the 2017/18 against the Bad and Doubtful Debts expense accounts.

Originally published as Pay rise for councillors on the cards