SCENIC RIM MAYOR AND COUNCILLORS FOREGO REMUNERATION INCREASE
Scenic Rim’s Mayor and Councillors have voted against receiving an increase in remuneration, which would have taken effect from the start of the new financial year.
Recognising the impacts of COVID-19 on the Scenic Rim community, the Mayor and the new Council team resolved at this week’s Ordinary Meeting to rescind the motion from the 20 January 2020 meeting and forego the incremental increase recommended by the Local Government Remuneration Commission Schedule.
Mayor Greg Christensen said that while the recommended increase had been a relatively small amount, the new Council team saw maintaining their remuneration at 2019-20 levels for the 2020-21 year as a step of good faith with the Scenic Rim community, which has been impacted by flood, drought, bushfires and now COVID-19.
“None of us could have foreseen the economic effects of COVID-19 on our community when the previous Council voted in favour of the recommended remuneration increase in January,” Cr Christensen said.
“COVID-19 was declared a pandemic in March and, since then, it has had significant financial impacts on members of our community and local businesses.
“We appreciate that this has been, and continues to be, a tough time for many.
“The new Council sees foregoing the recommended increase as responsible decision making, given the current challenges faced by our community as we continue to deal with the COVID-19 situation.”