Northern Beaches councillors set to debate over whether they should get a pay rise
NORTHERN beaches councillors were set to debate whether or not to give themselves a 2.5 per cent pay rise on Tuesday night, with one of them claiming that current wages ‘discourage people from taking on the role of a councillor’.
Manly
Don't miss out on the headlines from Manly. Followed categories will be added to My News.
NORTHERN Beaches councillors are set to debate whether or not to give themselves a 2.5 per cent pay rise tonight.
Liberal councillor Rory Amon was set to push for a freeze of their salaries for the next financial year, which he said was supported by about half of the 15-person council.
It follows the council’s 2.3 per cent increase in rates proposed in the budget — which is on public exhibition — but has been labelled a “cheap political stunt” by Deputy Mayor Candy Bingham.
The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) sets councillor fees. Councillors are able to decide whether to take the maximum percentage, capped at 2.5 this year.
Councillors are paid $28,950 with an extra $700 coming their way if this pay rise is approved.
Mayor Michael Regan is paid $84,330 plus the councillor salary, taking his fee to more than $113,000. He would see an increase of about $2000 if a 2.5 per cent increase was passed.
“While residents may feel the heat of Regan’s rate rise, councillors should feel some fee freeze, ”Cr Amon said.
“The savings are not huge, but they send the right message to the community that if councillors want to raise rates, we should feel the pinch too.
“This won’t make me very popular, with some colleagues branding me Fee Freeze Amon.”
Cr Bingham criticised the move, saying her colleagues were already paid less than the minimum wage.
“I work 35-40 hours a week, that equates to about $14 per hour,” she said.
“The minimum wage is $18.29, we are earning less than the minimum wage, yet we are responsible for a $400 million budget.”
She said it was a pity the council was not focusing on more important business.
“I don’t think we should be playing for petty political points on something that degrades the position of the council and the mayor.”
She said it was a total of $13,000 extra split among 15 councillors who “already get paid very little”.
“It used to be a community representative job, it has now become a board member job,” she said. “With the size of the community, we would be earning about $80,000 a year on a board.”
She said the poor pay for councillors and mayors “discourages people from taking on the role of a councillor”.
“People are beginning to realise how much work it is, it is no longer a community role, it is not a couple of hours a week any more, it is a huge responsibility,” she said.
The council has had four briefings on the budget in the past month, councillors are working through rezoning two precincts — Frenchs Forest and Ingleside — and last night’s agenda was 450 pages.
“There is an enormous number of hours to stay up to date with business papers and vote,” Cr Bingham said.
“The mayor has the role of three and a half State MPs and he doesn’t get superannuation or holiday leave, it is out of proportion with what the role has become.”
IN OTHER NEWS
