A RESIDENTIAL rate rise and an increase to councillor pay-packets could be approved on the same night when Tamworth Regional Council meets on Tuesday.
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The councillors will vote on the region's budget for the next 12 months which includes a recommendation to increase rates by 2.7 per cent.
This was the maximum rate rise allowed by the state's revenue watchdog, the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART).
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If the rate hike gets the nod, it will see the council bring in more than $36.8 million from rates in the area.
It means the council will raise an additional $1,207,273 through rates, compared to last year.
Residents living in Tamworth city will carry the biggest proportion with a projected $20.7 million in rates to be raised in the next 12 months.
Tamworth's businesses will reportedly chip-in $6 million from their rates while the region's farms will collectively pay $5.8 million.
Following the rate rise discussion, the councillors will be asked to vote on a raise for their own work.
The councillors are in line for a 2.5 per cent pay increase for the coming financial year.
The Local Government Remuneration Tribunal recently handed-down its decision on the increase.
If the councillors like the look of the salary surge, they will pocket an additional $490 in the next year, taking their annual fees to $20,280.
On top of the councillor fee, Col Murray could also pocket an additional $44,250 for his role as mayor.
This will take his salary to $64,530 which is an increase of $1570 from last year.
While it is the third consecutive year Tamworth councillors will be asked to vote on a 2.5 per cent pay-rise, they remain among the lowest paid local representatives in the state.
Major metro and larger regional councils, are able to pay their mayors six-figures sums.
Meanwhile, it's only the smallest Sydney councils and rural councils, including Glen Innes and Gunnedah which pay their councillors less.
It's in stark contrast to Queensland councils, where the mayor of a small outback shire like Boulia is paid more than $78,000 a year.
Jacob McArthur
Jacob McArthur is opinions editor for The Canberra Times and Australian Community Media. As part of the Canberra Times' production team, he helps the people of Canberra and beyond get the stories they need, when they need them across a range of platforms, while helping maintain a high editorial standard. Before moving to Canberra in 2020, he started with Australian Community Media in 2015 as a journalist for The Northern Daily Leader in Tamworth where he kept a close eye on Tamworth Regional Council. Jacob was also the co-host of ACM's Water Pressure podcast where he and Jamieson Murphy took a deep dive on issues and key decisions arising during one of the region's worst droughts on record.
Jacob McArthur is opinions editor for The Canberra Times and Australian Community Media. As part of the Canberra Times' production team, he helps the people of Canberra and beyond get the stories they need, when they need them across a range of platforms, while helping maintain a high editorial standard. Before moving to Canberra in 2020, he started with Australian Community Media in 2015 as a journalist for The Northern Daily Leader in Tamworth where he kept a close eye on Tamworth Regional Council. Jacob was also the co-host of ACM's Water Pressure podcast where he and Jamieson Murphy took a deep dive on issues and key decisions arising during one of the region's worst droughts on record.
