Elected members across Wairarapa’s three councils will soon decide how best to split their pay pools.
Masterton, Carterton, and South Wairarapa’s new councillors meet for the first time tomorrow. In South Wairarapa, councillors have been given two options on how to divide their collective pay packet, prescribed by the Remuneration Authority.
They can either split the remuneration pool equally among all councillors, equating to a salary of $27,333 per year to each person, or they can pay the deputy mayor a salary of $35,926 and split the remainder evenly, equating to a salary of $26,259 per year. Councillors can defer making a decision until councillor appointments and responsibilities are determined.
South Wairarapa Mayor Martin Connelly would be paid $105,157.
In Carterton, four options have been put forward. The options range from paying the deputy mayor $39,999 per year and each councillor $26,681, to paying the deputy mayor $55,000 and each councillor $24,538.
Carterton Mayor Ron Mark would be paid $100,365.
In Masterton, it is proposed that the deputy mayor be paid $74,783, that the chair of the Infrastructure and Services Committee be paid $61,890, chairs of the Awards and Grants Committee and Hearings Committee be paid $56.732, and that the remaining councillors be paid $51,575.
Masterton Mayor Gary Caffell would be paid $133,530.
The mayoral pay and councillor remuneration pool is set by the Remuneration Authority and is written into legislation.
On this side of the election, Wairarapa mayors are being paid more than their predecessors.
According to the Local Government Members [2022-23] Determination 2022, from July this year, Masterton Mayor Lyn Patterson was paid an equivalent of $123,708 per annum, Carterton Mayor Greg Lang was paid $85,683, and South Wairarapa Mayor Alex Beijen was paid $94,302.
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