The State Government has set the minimum and maximum rates Councillors will be able to set for their remuneration from July 1.
For the Central Coast, the rate is shown in the screenshots.
The minimum is $20,500 up to a maximum of $35,620.
The Local Government Act is clear that Councillors and Mayors receive an annual fee, not a wage, with section 251 stating that fees paid do not constitute a salary.
The rates were set by the Local Government Remuneration Tribunal on April 29 and gazetted on May 10.
The Central Coast is categorised as a Major Strategic Area but non-metropolitan, the only council in the category.
A Major Strategic Area will have a minimum population of 300,000.
The Coast has an official estimated population of 351,000 according to ABS 2023 figures.
Other features “may” include:
• health services, tertiary education services and major regional airports which service the surrounding and wider regional community
• a full range of high-order services including business, office and retail uses with arts, culture, recreation and entertainment centres
• total operating revenue exceeding $250M per annum
• significant visitor numbers to established tourism ventures and major events that attract state and national attention
• a proximity to Sydney which generates economic opportunities.
The Coast’s population, predicted population growth, and scale of Council’s operations warrant that it be differentiated from other non-metropolitan councils, the Tribunal said.
Central Coast Council, currently under administration, is also a significant contributor to the regional economy associated with proximity to and connections with Sydney and the Hunter Region, according to the report.
The Coast will have elections in September – the first time since September 2017, after the former Wyong and Gosford councils were amalgamated in May 2016.
The Coast’s first councillors were suspended in October 2020 when the council announced immediate and serious cash flow issues and sacked in 2021 after a public inquiry.
