Western Bay of Plenty District Council<\/a> (WBOPDC) governance manager Robyn Garrett said the council was awaiting final approval from the authority for its proposed division of the pool. <\/p>\n \u201cThe pool is proposed to be allocated with $100,000 remuneration for the Deputy Mayor, $85,000 for the two committee chairpersons and the remainder divided evenly between the other councillors, at $76,232.50.\u201d<\/p>\n Remuneration Authority chairman Geoff Summers said remuneration pools were determined through a review of sizing indexes, which are based on key factors including population, operating expenditure, asset value and socioeconomic deprivation.<\/p>\n \u201cWBOPDC\u2019s size index increased with this review, taking into account those four factors along with the fact that the authority increased the estimation of each councillor\u2019s work commitment.\u201d<\/p>\n Summers said the law required elected members\u2019 salaries to be fair to both the councillors and the taxpayers.<\/p>\n He said the authority was used to set the pay of councillors to protect them from local political pressure that could create a system where elected members were not paid fairly.<\/p>\n Councils proposed how to allocate their remuneration pools, and must allocate all the money. <\/p>\n \u201cThe authority does not automatically approve all proposals … As long as the proposal fully allocates the [pool] and all the other aspects appear reasonable, the authority will approve proposals.\u201d<\/p>\n He said the system came from an extensive 2018 review of local government remuneration, which included wide consultation.<\/p>\n He said the system was complex because the local government sector was \u201cextremely complex\u201d, with extensive variability between even similar-sized councils. <\/p>\n New Zealand Taxpayers\u2019 Union head of policy and legislative affairs, James Ross, said the councillors\u2019 average pay increase was \u201cabout 22 times the rate of inflation\u201d.<\/p>\n He said, in his opinion: \u201cMore than a 50% pay rise in a single year is so far out of touch with how most Kiwis are doing it at the minute.\u201d<\/p>\n He said the problem was the system and ratepayers not having enough input into the process.<\/p>\n \u201cTheoretically, residents have no influence at all,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019d like to see this approach, where councillors can wash their hands and say \u2018this wasn\u2019t our decision\u2019, brought to an end.\u201d<\/p>\n He suggested the council should set councillors\u2019 salaries so ratepayers could have input.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know a single ratepayer who thinks a 56% increase in salary in a single year is justified.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf councillors think the increase is unfair, they can pay it back.\u201d<\/p>\n Remuneration Authority chairman Geoff Summers. <\/p>\n
New Zealand Taxpayers\u2019 Union head of policy and legislative affairs, James Ross. <\/p>\n
Western Bay of Plenty Mayor James Denyer. Photo \/ David Hall<\/p>\n