Comments on: Hawkes Bay Regional Council salary increase disappointing http://www.dalton.net.nz/2009/03/04/hawkes-bay-regional-council-salary-increase-disappointing/ Napier City Councillor Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:41:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Ewan McGregor http://www.dalton.net.nz/2009/03/04/hawkes-bay-regional-council-salary-increase-disappointing/comment-page-1/#comment-2366 Ewan McGregor Sun, 22 Mar 2009 18:58:31 +0000 http://www.dalton.net.nz/?p=64#comment-2366 Hello Bill. I wish to respond to your comments here. In the debate on our renumeration I stated my position, being that in the event of my council salary being increased I will make a personal decision as to whether I accept it or not. It was pointed out by the new chairman that he wanted to spread responsibilities more and that may involve a new position or two, which would be a factor in the distribution of renumeration. Still, I take your point that these are tough times and our constituency is under finacial pressure. We must be forever mindful of that. You stated in you piece that Cr Kirton is the only councilor who had not "agreed to take every cent they can get from the public purse". As I recall it Neil, as he consistently does, opposed the council accepting an increase. Whether he personnally doesn't accept his increase I do not know. But if he does then he has the best of both worlds; a favourable headline and more pay. Further, you feel an injustice at the disparity between your salary and those of regional councilors. Actually, by my calculations, if the R C had 12 concillors, as with the NCC, instead of 8 to share the pool then our salary would be slightly less than yours. The way for you to recieve better consistency between councils is to reduce the size of your council. And yes, you have advocated this in a subsequent comment. Finally, there is the question of time committment to the role of councillorship. R C renumeration is entirely adequate and I appreciate it. It carries with it the obligation that a Cr makes his/her committment to the job a priority. But how can the a ratepayer know what a Cr's committment is? I have considered advocating to council a subtle modification of our travel expense claim (applies to council but non-constituency duty, at the discretion of the CE) that notes the committment and that this be available for public inspection, maybe even placed on the website. I have hesitated to pursue it though as it would be seen as intending to embarrass one member. Cheers Ewan McGregor (ewan-mac@xtra.co.nz) Cr, HBRC Hello Bill.
I wish to respond to your comments here. In the debate on our renumeration I stated my position, being that in the event of my council salary being increased I will make a personal decision as to whether I accept it or not. It was pointed out by the new chairman that he wanted to spread responsibilities more and that may involve a new position or two, which would be a factor in the distribution of renumeration.

Still, I take your point that these are tough times and our constituency is under finacial pressure. We must be forever mindful of that.

You stated in you piece that Cr Kirton is the only councilor who had not “agreed to take every cent they can get from the public purse”. As I recall it Neil, as he consistently does, opposed the council accepting an increase. Whether he personnally doesn’t accept his increase I do not know.

But if he does then he has the best of both worlds; a favourable headline and more pay.

Further, you feel an injustice at the disparity between your salary and those of regional councilors. Actually, by my calculations, if the R C had 12 concillors, as with the NCC, instead of 8 to share the pool then our salary would be slightly less than yours.

The way for you to recieve better consistency between councils is to reduce the size of your council. And yes, you have advocated this in a subsequent comment.

Finally, there is the question of time committment to the role of councillorship. R C renumeration is entirely adequate and I appreciate it. It carries with it the obligation that a Cr makes his/her committment to the job a priority. But how can the a ratepayer know what a Cr’s committment is?

I have considered advocating to council a subtle modification of our travel expense claim (applies to council but non-constituency duty, at the discretion of the CE) that notes the committment and that this be available for public inspection, maybe even placed on the website.

I have hesitated to pursue it though as it would be seen as intending to embarrass one member.

Cheers
Ewan McGregor (ewan-mac@xtra.co.nz)
Cr, HBRC

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