Waikato Regional Council chairman Russ Rimmington and CE Vaughan Payne donate 20 per cent of pay

Waikato Regional Council chairman Russ Rimmington. Photo / Supplied

Waikato Regional Council chairman Russ Rimmington and chief executive Vaughan Payne are donating 20 per cent of each of their salaries for the next six months – a combined total of more than $33,000 – saying they wanted to support vulnerable people.

CE Vaughan Payne earned $342,845 in the year to June 10, 2019, up from $328,354 the previous year with a vehicle in addition.

As chairman, Mr Rimmington earns a base salary of $157,410 before tax, and the donation is 20 per cent of the six month salary after tax.

He said the regional council was on track to achieve its commitment to ratepayers of a zero per cent rates revenue impact, but he and Mr Payne believe they also had a responsibility to take personal action.

"We're concerned about the stress people are under and want to be able to help."

For Mr Rimmington, the focus is community groups who are supporting those struggling the most.

"To keep doing what they do, these groups need money, and every dollar helps. That's why I'm donating a percentage of my salary," he said.

The money will go to the Waikato Community Funders Group – a collection of the region's philanthropic trusts and funders, including Waikato Regional Council, who are working together to make sure funds get to where they're needed the most during this pandemic.

"Over the last five days, I've looked at all sorts of options for getting this money into the right hands. I've settled on the Waikato Community Funders Group because it has a good understanding of community groups right across the Waikato who are working at the coalface.

"I'll also have some oversight of who benefits from my donation. That's important to me because I really want to make sure there's a regional focus."

Mr Payne's contribution will formalise and bolster a long term commitment he and his wife Jane have made to helping underprivileged kids at their local secondary school – Hamilton's Fraser High School.

"Coming from one of New Zealand's poorest communities – Ōpōtiki – and experiencing the impacts of economic downturns on families, I understand the long term benefits of investing in education.

"Jane and I believe in the importance of education to lift people and have been impressed with the way Fraser supports its students to reach their potential, but at the same time we've seen lots of need over the years.

"Many families with kids at this school are likely to be struggling, and we know all too well that when families are hurting it's the kids' education that suffers.

"For Jane and I, this donation is an important investment in the education and future of kids in our local community when they need it the most. We've been talking with the school's Tumuaki, Virginia Crawford, over the weekend about how best to ensure it benefits students in need, including providing them with leadership opportunities."

In total, Hamilton's Fraser High School will benefit by $22,880 to be paid by Mr Payne in fortnightly instalments.

For the year ended June 30, 2019 $48,931,000 was spent on WRC employee expenses. $1,067,000 was spent on councillors' meeting attendance fees and salary.