TAKE OUR POLL: Lismore councillors to decide their own pay

THE mayor says with the increased need to be on-call via social media, as well as increased reading required, councillors deserved more money.

Lismore City Council Chambers. The Northern Star

TONIGHT Lismore City councillors will vote on their own annual pay - or in the event of losing their spot on on council after the September council election - their replacement's.

Council needs to determine within the category range the fees to be paid for the 2016/17 financial year, as per the Mayor and Councillors for 2016/17.

The 2016/17 Budget allows for the maximum fees.

Councillor Fee

The Councillor fee for Regional Rural Councils is a minimum fee of $8,540 and a maximum fee of $18,840. The current fee as determined by Council for the 2015/16 financial year is the maximum fee of $18,380.

Mayoral Fee

The Mayoral fee for Regional Rural Councils is a minimum fee of $18,180 and a maximum fee of $41,090. The current fee as determined by Council for the 2015/16 financial year is the maximum fee of $40,090.

Dowell to change her vote

For the first time in her eight years on council, mayor Jenny Dowell will be voting in favour of maximum pay.

Cr Dowell, who will not be running in the September local council election, revealed this time she would change her voting pattern. "This is different. I'm not voting for myself, I'm voting for the new councillors."

She said another reason to support the maximum pay was that the "workload and pressure had increased dramatically" since her first term.

Cr Dowell said with the increased need to be on call via social media as well as increased reading required of the council business papers, councillors deserved the maximum pay.

She said without adequate recompense, the councillor demographics would be skewed to older or retired people.

"We need to encourage a range of councillors -- young people with families, the self-employed and in particular women, to council," she said.

"It seems to be odd and uncomfortable that council decided on their own pay," she said.

Battista believes it's voluntary

Traditionally, councillor Gianpiero Battista has voted against the maximum wage because he believed the role was "'a voluntary community service". He has revealed he would again be voting against the higher wage tonight.

"There is an argument to make council positions into full time jobs but until then it should be voluntary," he said.

"It would be different if council's finances were better but I don't think councillors should be getting more when council's finances aren't the best," he said.