Council Corner

Council Corner

LIFE is starting to return to normal for the Cassowary Coast, if today’s planned Council meeting is indicative.

Across the Coast, community organisations are preparing and submitting applications for Community Assistance Grants from Council.

Cardwell Chamber of Commerce plan to conduct with Council funding a Cardwell Business and Tourism Expo, Far North Freefall Skydiving Club will conduct this year a five day event/competition. In addition the 37th Innisfail and District Dance Competition will return along with Innisfail Town ‘Open’ Cel ebration events, Orchid Expos, and El Arish Cenotaph Park Improvements to coincide with their Centenary Celebration.

In total over $39,000 in community based grants will be submitted to today’s Council meeting for approval.

In preparation for next financial year’s budget, Council will present their proposed Schedule of Fees and Charges. In summary: there are 839 fees and charges with 463 re maining unchanged or reduced. A total of 51 fees have \been discontinued and 53 new fees and charges to be added to the schedule.

Pensioner discounts are now introduced for dog registrations. The first desexed dog regis tration for a pensioner is free and a small fee for any additional dog. The Queensland Gov ernment waste disposal levy increases have been deferred for an additional six months, in creasing from $75 per tonne to $80 per tonne effective January 1, 2021.

Perhaps the most interesting matter on the agenda, and likely to be subject of great de bate throughout the region is 5.4 Remuneration Tribunal Report, to be presented by Michaela Johnstone, Corporate Governance Officer.

The recommendation accompanying the report is as such: “That Council resolves to adopt the remuneration schedule as determined by the Local Government Remuneration and Discipline Tribunal in accordance with Section 244 of the Local Government Regulation 2012 or resolves to adopt a lesser amount.”

The recommendation is that remuneration for Mayors, Deputy Mayors and Councillors be increased by 2% from July 1, 2020.

This increase will see the Mayor receive $133,196 pa, Deputy Mayor $83,247 pa and Councillors $70,759 pa.

Remuneration increases were a hotly de bated issue in previous years, both within the Chamber and on social media. To place into context the wages received by a Councillor are less than those received by many of the Coun cil administrative workers. Our Councillors are placed in the firing line every day by the com munity and held accountable, as they should by higher levels of government.

It is essential for our region’s development to attract the very best and brightest Council employees and Councillors should be no dif ferent. We need experienced leaders from our Community, prepared to place their businesses on hold for a minimum of four years and serve our community. The remuneration should be appropriate and in proportion to the level of ac countability the community expects from our leaders.

The Cassowary Coast is classified as a cat egory 3 Council and remuneration is the same for similar Councils, including Noosa, Whit sunday, Tablelands and 11 other similar profiled Councils.

A Councillor in Cairns will receive $108,222 per annum.

Residents can view a live stream of Council’s meetings, visit www.cassowarycoast.qld. gov.au/live-stream.