By Kirsty Ross
WYNDHAM City Council last week adopted an annual level of councillor allowances at $18,000 and mayoral allowances at $57,500 for the next three years.
These amounts are the maximum limit allowed under the Order in Council.
In July 2005, the council moved from a category two level to the highest-paid level at category three.
Accordingly, the allowances moved up from the previous amounts of $15,000 for councillors and $46,500 for the mayor.
At a meeting last week, Iramoo Ward councillor Cynthia Manson described the councillors’ duties as “a large, large commitment” that takes them away from “quality time with the family”.
The category was determined after an independent panel hearing.
Reasons behind the change in category were changing circumstances, a widened scale of council’s operations, councillors’ responsibilities and growth of the city.
The figures are set until 26 June 2009 – within seven months from the next council election – or until the Minister for Local Government makes a new decision.
The Local Government Act requires councils to review and determine the level of the allowances within seven months from an election, which was held in November.
A public notice calling for submissions on the council’s intention to set the allowances to the upper limit was advertised in a community newspaper on 15 February.
The council did not receive any submissions against it.
