Wanganui's mayor, councillors and those on the rural community board are getting a little Christmas bonus.
This follows a ruling by the Remuneration Authority, which determines pay scales for elected representatives. The ruling will apply for the period from July 1 this year through to June 30, 2015. Mayor Annette Main's annual stipend moves up $2731 to a new rate of $102,808 while deputy mayor Hamish McDouall gets an extra $875, moving to $36,375. Committee chairs - councillors Sue Westwood, Philippa Baker-Hogan and Ray Stevens - will now get $34,920 (up $840), while the other councillors collect an extra $700 at $29,100. Councillors will also earn $100 a day for attending district plan review meetings but that must not exceed a total of $10,246 per councillor during the year ending June 2015.
Ms Main also gets full private use of the mayoral car.
Wanganui rural community board chair Alan Taylor's pay scale has lifted by $400 to $9400 while board members will be paid $4700, an extra $200.
The authority has also increased the communication allowance for each councillor to a maximum of $1050 a year. It is an allowance paid only to councillors or board members who are not provided with a council i-Phone or i-Pad.
All the salaries and allowances are backdated to July 1 this year.
Increases will also be picked up by mayors and councillors in neighbouring local bodies.
Rangitikei mayor Andy Watson will receive $77,550 and councillors $18,300, while in Ruapehu mayor Don Cameron moves to $75,100 and councillors to $16,100. In South Taranaki, mayor Ross Dunlop's annual salary moves to $90,052 and his councillors will get $20,200.