The half million dollar pie: Who got what as Whanganui councillors divvy up their pay

Committee roles and councillor remuneration were adopted at Tuesday's council meeting. Photo / Bevan Conley

More than half a million dollars has been divvied up to pay Whanganui's 12 district councillors as their new roles and responsibilities are confirmed.

Whanganui District Council has a pool of $516,096 to use for salaries, a figure determined by the Remuneration Authority.

The amount is decided by factors such as the size of the district and is the same regardless of the number of councillors. It's a requirement for council to allocate the entire pool of funds.

Earlier this month mayor Hamish McDouall named Jenny Duncan as deputy mayor, while other positions were announced at Tuesday's council meeting.

Duncan will be paid $49,883. In addition to her deputy mayor role, she will chair the audit and risk committee and is deputy chairwoman of the policy and bylaw committee, chaired by McDouall. Duncan is also chairwoman of the chief executive review committee.

Committee chairs have been allocated $46,046 each from the remuneration pool, with advisory group chair and deputy committee chair positions allocated $42,209 each.

Strategy and finance committee chairwoman Kate Joblin and infrastructure, climate change and emergency management committee chairman Alan Taylor have both been reappointed to chair the committees they led during the last council term. Joblin's deputy will be Josh Chandulal-Mackay, with Hadleigh Reid appointed as Taylor's deputy.

Deputy mayor Jenny Duncan will be paid $49,883.

Helen Craig has been reappointed as the property and community services committee chairwoman and will also chair the town centre regeneration group, with $47,964 allocated for her combined responsibilities. New councillor James Barron will be the property and community services committee's deputy chairman.

Chandulal-Mackay picks up the role of chairman of the regulatory committee and Charlie Anderson is the deputy chairman. The two switched roles before the proposed structure was adopted.

Rob Vinsen is chairman of the waste minimisation group and Philippa Baker-Hogan is chairwoman of the sport and recreation group.

Second-term councillor Graeme Young and first-timer Brent Crossan have no additional responsibilities and will each receive $38,371.

The remuneration structure will be submitted to the Remuneration Authority for approval.

McDouall intends to review committee positions around the same time as the long term plan review in 2021.

McDouall's salary is $141,000, which has been adjusted to $137,138, as he has been provided with a vehicle. The Mayor's salary is set by the Remuneration Authority separately from $516,096 allocation for councillors.