Council reports surplus

Pay rises and an overall operating surplus are included in New Plymouth District Council’s annual report.

Chief financial officer Alan Bird highlighted several positive points at an extraordinary council meeting yesterday, including the Perpetual Investment Fund (PIF) returning $21 million, more than $13 million over budget, and a general operating surplus of $300,000.

‘‘As per the Treasury Management policy, the Council has the option to use the surplus to further decrease the PIF release, repay debt or apply against rates over the next three years.’’

The annual report, which covers the 2017-18 financial year and was adopted at the meeting, also states the salary increases of the district’s mayor and councillors, with mayor Neil Holdom’s salary going up $7365 to $142,356 on July 1, and chief executive Craig Stevenson receiving compensation of $342,769 since his start date of November 1, 2017.

Most councillors are paid a base rate of $42,834, with added bonuses for the deputy mayor ($59,967) and for those that chair a committee. Altogether, council has 53 staff earning $100,000 or more.

Also included in the report was the money used for councillors’ professional development, as requested by councillor Shaun Biesiek earlier this year.

The cost ranged from $2027 to $2352, the report revealed.

Severance payments totalling $29,000 have also been made but council would not discuss any employment matters.

Councillor John McLeod raised concerns, including confusion in the report and the fact that infrastructure funding was down, yet council returned a surplus.

‘‘It’s all about transparency and accountability for all our people,’’ he said.

However, mayor Neil Holdom said McLeod had voted against increasing infrastructure funding, but it was his view they had to put more funding into capital expenditure.