Councils vote for more pay

Alex de Vos
Geelong and Surf Coast Shire councillors are set to give themselves 34 per cent pay rises.
City of Greater Geelong Mayor John Mitchell will receive an extra $26,575 and Surf Coast Shire Mayor Libby Mears will reap a bonus of $21,625 this year.
Cr Mitchell’s total pay will climb to $77,300, while Cr Mears will earn $68,125.
Pay for Geelong councillors will rise $8319 to $24,200 and their colleagues at Surf Coast will enjoy an extra $7018 for an annual pay-packet of $22,018.
State Government set the new pay rates for various council sizes last year. Geelong and Surf Coast councillors voted to approve their pay rises after November council elections.
Cr Mitchell said he was “happy” with the mayoral pay rise.
“Councillors work very hard but I believe it’s something we do for our community and not for the money,” he said.
“If you worked out the amount we’re paid on an hourly basis – it’s fairly miniscule.”
Cr Mears called for the pay increases while State Government was working on setting the new rates last year, saying councillors were overworked and underpaid.
Surf Coast Shire’s submission to the Government’s review of councillor remuneration called for a “consistent approach” to pay for councillors across Victorian.
Geelong’s submission sought a 78 per cent increase on the mayor’s allowance to $92,625 a year and a 61 per cent increase for councillors to $28,996.
Cr Mears had not returned the Independent’s call for comment before the Independent went to press yesterday.