Stratford District Council Approves Councillor Pay Structure

The Stratford District Council has approved a remuneration package for its councillors, establishing salaries based on a total pool of $290,393 allocated by the Remuneration Authority. During a meeting last month, the council decided on a distribution plan to compensate its 11 elected members.

Under the new structure, Deputy Mayor Amanda Harris will receive $35,047. The two chairpersons of the hearings committee will each earn $27,537, while the remaining eight councillors will be paid $25,034 each. This remuneration is modest compared to other councils in New Zealand. For instance, in New Plymouth, three deputy mayors are set to earn $89,424 annually, despite having rotating duties every six months, while councillors without additional responsibilities will receive $61,672 per year.

Comparative Salaries Across Councils

In Christchurch, Mayor Phil Mauger commands an annual salary of $220,000, with city councillors receiving a considerable $107,940 each. The Remuneration Authority determines council pay scales by evaluating the size, assets, and spending of each council, resulting in set packages for mayors and shared pools for councillor compensation.

Stratford, with a population exceeding 10,000, falls into the lower-middle range of the national mayoral pay scale. Neil Volzke, who is in his sixth term as mayor, has an annual salary of $122,207. In comparison, mayors from similar-sized districts, such as Ōtorohanga (population 10,700), Buller (10,650), and Ōpōtiki (10,300), receive $122,998, $131,959, and $129,038 respectively.

At the lower end of the pay scale, the mayors of Kaikōura and the Chatham Islands earn $98,093 and $65,878, leading districts with populations of 4,340 and 620, respectively. In the Taranaki region, New Plymouth Mayor Max Brough has a remuneration of $178,736, while South Taranaki Mayor Phil Nixon earns $156,483.

South Taranaki is expected to finalize its councillor remuneration in early 2024, further highlighting the variations in salaries across different councils in New Zealand. The decisions made by the Stratford District Council reflect not only the local governance structure but also the broader context of public service compensation within the country.