A move to link pay rises for Waitaki Mayor Alex Familton, Waitaki district councillors and community board members to the percentage rise in rates for the next financial year failed at a council meeting yesterday.
The council was considering a recommendation from its strategy committee to increase payments, based on a 4.38% rise by the Remuneration Authority in the pool of money set aside to pay Waitaki's elected representatives.
The new pool to be distributed among them, based on a formula already approved by the council, was $311,230.
The committee on February 10 recommended the full pool with its increase be paid out.
But Cr Helen Stead yesterday argued any that increase should be not greater than the level of the rate rise the council imposed on ratepayers for the 2009-10 financial year.
In its draft annual plan, a 3.4% rates increase is proposed.
She was supported by Cr Jim Hopkins but, when the proposal was put to a vote, it was rejected.
Cr Hopkins acknowledged Cr Stead's proposal was likely to be symbolic.
The Remuneration Authority insisted that taking less than what was recommended needed the unanimous support of all councillors.
"I suspect in this case that will not happen," he said.
Cr Hopkins also said councillors on smaller councils did a lot more than those elected to city councils, and they received less pay for it.
In the end, the council passed the recommendation from its strategy committee approving the full increase.
The payments next financial year will be: Waitaki Mayor Alex Familton, $71,728 ($69,187 this year); deputy mayor Gary Kircher, $23,509 ($22,340); committee chairmen and chairwomen, $22,040 ($20,943); councillor subcommittee chairmen and chairwomen, $19,101 ($18,151); councillors, $17,632 ($16,775); Ahuriri and Waihemo Community Board chairmen, $13,224 ($12,556); community board members, $5877 ($5585).
