COUNCILLORS at their meeting on Wednesday, July 1, voted unanimously to adopt an increase to their annual fee.
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General manager Leanne Barnes highlighted it was normal for the council to increase the allowance paid to councillors and the mayor each year based on CPI.
The annual fee payable to councillors for 2015/16 will be $18,380.
For being mayor, the fee increased to $40,090 annually.
Cr Liz Seckold highlighted it was an allowance, not a salary, and barely covered “new tyres for our cars for the thousands of kilometres we cover every year”.
Mayor Michael Britten also pointed out the Bega Valley Shire Council was on record as making a submission to the Local Government Remuneration Tribunal that councillor fees be reviewed, as current levels act as a barrier for younger people considering taking on a role at the table.
MEANWHILE, councillors determined to proceed with a tender for stage two of the Central Waste Facility at a cost of $1.268million.
The need for construction of a second landfill cell has come earlier than anticipated – with the first cell likely to be filled within 18 months of the site’s opening rather than the forecasted two years.
However, the second cell will give the CWF five years of service before a further cell is required, group manager of transport and utilities Wayne Sartori said.