Councillors pass $41,000 pay rise

COUNCILLORS unanimously voted for a pay increase of an extra $41,000 per year, despite claims they are yet to earn it.
Ratepayers will fund the increase in councillor allowances after the council this week voted to shift from a categorytwo to a categorythree councillor and mayoral allowance level.
A report states that in recent years, workloads have increased “and councillors are now expected and required to deal with increased issues of complexity in infrastructure, public transport, town and strategic planning and social matters within a diverse multicultural community”.
Councillors will move from $15,000 per year to $18,000, while the mayoral allowance will increase from $46,500 to $57,500.
Only one objection was received during the public consultation process.
The objector complained that the “councillors and mayor have only been in office for two weeks”.
The rise takes effect immediately.