Council addresses pay rise

MEDIA RELEASE 26 June 2020

The Local Government Remuneration Tribunal, an independent body established by the State Government, makes annual determinations on fees payable to Councillors and Mayors.

In October last year, Council received an invitation from the tribunal to make a submission which included a newly created categorisation known as a ‘Regional Centre’.

Council through the General Manager made a submission to the tribunal, having regard to the independent tribunal’s criteria. The basis of this submission was that Bathurst LGA satisfied the majority of the criteria for the “Regional Strategic Area” with the exception of minimum population criteria.

On 18 June Council adopted the annual budget which included a resolution on Councillor remuneration. At the time that this resolution was passed, Council was unaware of the Tribunal’s determination.

Council received a circular from the Office of Local Government on 22 June advising the tribunal’s determination for the 2020/21 year which placed Bathurst Regional Council in the tribunal’s newly created Regional Centre category.

Mayor Bobby Bourke said the new regional category was applied to not only Bathurst Regional Council but to 24 other Councils including Albury, Armidale, Dubbo, Orange, Tamworth and Wagga Wagga.

“The increase is an automatic result of the reclassification of our Council by the tribunal to the new category of Regional Centre,” he said.

“It is important to note that this process is managed by an independent body that was established by that State Government.”

ENDS

Media contact: Media Officer