Commissioners for the City of Perth have voted in favour of revoking annual attendance fee payments for all Elected Members, and replacing them with per-meeting fees.
Chair of Commissioners Eric Lumsden said the appropriateness of continuing to pay Elected Members while suspended was taken into consideration.
“The Commissioners took the position that it would not be acceptable to rate payers and the public for Elected Members to continue to be paid meeting attendance fees, whilst they were unable to fulfil their duties due to their suspension,” Mr Lumsden said.
Commissioners also voted unanimously to reduce the Lord Mayoral allowance to the minimum payment permitted by the Salaries and Allowances Tribunal.
“As detailed in the Local Government Act, the Commissioners – acting for Council – only have the discretion to set an amount within the range determined by the Tribunal, and do not have power to withhold payment of the Lord Mayoral Allowance,” Mr Lumsden said.
“The Lord Mayoral allowance has now been reduced to $60,900 per annum, down from $135,909.
“The changes adopted by the Commissioners will save rate payers more than $400,000 per year.”
Issued by: Haydn Kruger, Media Advisor, 0427 832 942, haydn.kruger@cityofperth.wa.gov.au