Fees paid to councillors and the mayor will increase by 2.5 per cent over the next financial year.
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The 2.5 per cent increase, which was recommended by the Local Government Renumberation Tribunal, was approved at the May 23 meeting.
The annual fees paid to councillors and the mayor is a decision councillors are required to determine each year.
According to a staff report, based on current fees the 2.5 per cent increase would amount to $482.75 for councillors and $1053 for the mayor.
Councillor Duncan Gair said councillors would receive just over $19,000 a year and it would amount to an increase of roughly $9.60 a week.
“It is something that I think the community expect that you be reimbursed for the level of service that you give,” he said.
“I think as long as you give good service to the community or as good as you can give, it’s justifiable.”
Mayor Ken Halstead said councillors deserved to be reimbursed for the many hours they put into council work each week.
“I do not begrudge one councillor sitting around this room for one cent they earn for the time they put in. Everyone sitting here earns what I consider to be a pittance as a councillor in terms of the time you people put in.”
He also acknowledged there would be members of the public who would be critical of the increase.
“There’ll be a couple sitting up there in the audience that will have a field day with this no doubt. Well they ought to get a life.” Cr Ian Scandrett was the one dissenting vote on the night.
“I’ll be voting against this because at this point in time we’re still levying a 45.3 per cent rate increase across the shire.”
For Cr Gordon Markwart, it was not just about being reimbursed for time put in.
He argued the yearly stipend ensured people with a lower income could have the opportunity to become a councillor.
“The stipend is designed to allow anybody in the community to possibly become a councillor if they are not so well off. There are many councillors on $19,000 a year survive on that. I know one here, which is myself,” he said.
“It gives me the opportunity to come here and be a councillor and have some say. This enables anybody to become a councillor if they have the will and the desire.”
Several councillors said they would donate the increase to charity.
The increased fees will be applicable from July 1, 2018 until June 30, 2019.
Cr Larry Whipper said while many may not realise it, some of the decisions and advocacy work done by councillors was “life-changing”.
“Occasionally you do get those constituents that come to you and ask for advocacy. And I can assure you councillors it’s worth more than the money we’re getting out of it for the advocacy we provide people in this community,” he said. “Ask them if they think we’re worth a $9 a week rise.”
