By SONJA KOREMANS
SOUTHERN Downs councillors have voted against a 2.3 per cent pay rise recommended by a Local Government Remuneration Tribunal.
Just days out from handing down the 2015/16 budget, councillors yesterday voted against the pay rise claiming “it wouldn’t be a good look”.
A 2.3 per cent increase to their annual allowance was recommended by the Local Government Remuneration Tribunal from next week (1 July) but doesn’t have to be taken and is not linked to any performance measure.
Cr Jamie Mackenzie was particularly opposed to a pay rise.
“It is simply not correct for councillors to get more funds at this time when our financial situation is dire,” Cr Mackenzie said.
“To not take it (the salary increase) is better than cutting back on services and infrastructure projects and it all helps to curtail borrowing or raising rates.”
Councillors voted to move the funds collected for the 2.3 per cent increase to other activities in the operational budget.
The council budget will be handed down next Thursday.
Southern Free Times was going to print at the time of the council meeting today and we will bring you details from the meeting online this week, including council’s proposal to raise commercial and residential subdivision fees as well as recommendation to spend $145,000 on council’s community mobile library project.
