Whangarei mayor's pay rise 'immoral'

Whangarei District mayor Morris Cutforth. Photo / Northern Advocate

The decision by Whangarei Mayor Morris Cutforth to accept a 5 per cent pay rise while he remains on light duties has been labelled as "immoral" by one of his councillors.

The issue of the mayor's remuneration was brought before the Whangarei District Council yesterday, with a proposal that his annual honorarium rise from $112,600 to $118,800.

Mr Cutforth was not present at yesterday's full council meeting, having said last week he had been warned by his doctor to avoid "that sort of stressful situation".

Councillor Crichton Christie said it was difficult to speak about the mayor in his absence, but the meeting was the only place he could raise concerns.

"In some ways I feel it is immoral to take that pay rise when you're only working 20 hours a week," he said.

Cr Christie also questioned whether it was right for the mayor to accept a 5 per cent pay rise when "times are tough" and "people are struggling".

"The actual position of the mayor is probably worth that pay rise, but the position of this mayor ... I think he needs to look at his own morals and see if it's worth taking."

Cr Halse, who chaired the meeting in Mr Cutforth's absence, defended Mr Cutforth saying the mayor's role was to make sure the council was functioning well.

"The council, in my opinion, is functioning very well, so if he's got input, whether it's one hour or 100 hours, his job is to run this council."

Cr Christie abstained from voting on the mayor's remuneration increase, saying the decision was for the mayor to make rather than councillors.

Mr Cutforth, when contacted later by the Northern Advocate, said he knew what was going on at the council and he was keeping "a handle on things".

"Cr Halse is absolutely right, the council is functioning really well.

"I'm putting in the hours in spite of what Cr Christie might have mentioned."