Covid 19 coronavirus: Bay of Plenty Regional Council leadership choose to donate from salaries

Bay of Plenty Regional Council's senior leadership team is choosing to donate from their salaries and has offered to forego any salary increase in the coming financial year.

In a media statement today, the council's chief executive Fiona McTavish said she was incredibly proud of her leadership team members for their show of leadership and solidarity in opting to donate 10 per cent of their salaries for a six-month period, in response to Covid-19's local impact.

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The leadership team comprises McTavish and five senior people leaders.

"We're exploring the Acorn Foundation as a vehicle to ensure the benefit of our donations is maximised and directed to those in our regional communities who have been most impacted by the current situation.

"We know a lot of people are struggling and we feel that making a contribution is the right thing to do," she said.

McTavish said the Acorn Foundation had established a Covid -19 rapid response fund that could deliver region-wide support.
• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website

"This model of 'work-place giving' also provides an avenue for our wider staff and councillors to anonymously donate to the fund via our payroll system, but clearly, this is a private matter for individuals to consider based on their own circumstances."

The council is also awaiting a Remuneration Authority determination on any changes to elected member salaries, which it will consider at a future meeting.