Tauranga's head commissioner earns $180k-plus in six months, plans to reduce days tipped

Tauranga City commissioners Shadrach Rolleston, Bill Wasley, Stephen Selwood, and chairwoman Anne Tolley. Photo / NZME

Tauranga city's lead commissioner has been paid $182,700 in her first six months in the role while other commissioners have earned up to $134,259 so far.

Figures obtained by the Bay of Plenty Times Weekend reveal the commission's latest remuneration. They have been paid more than double what was originally planned during May, June and July.

The data, sourced through the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act, shows commission chairwoman Anne Tolley received $103,500 for 57.5 days' work in those months. She was expected to work just 12 to 16 days per month. Tolley worked 25 days in May, 20 days in June and 12.5 days in July at a rate of $1800 per day.

Tauranga City Council commission chairwoman Anne Tolley pictured at a meeting with chief executive Marty Grenfell. Photo / NZME

Tolley's fellow commissioners Stephen Selwood, Bill Wasley and Shadrach Rolleston each received $75,759 for working a total of 50.5 days. They worked 20 days in May, 21 days in June and 9.5 days in July at a rate of $1500 per day. They were originally expected to work four to eight days a month.

This comes on top of earnings already made of up to $79,200 each for February, March and April this year. The commission was formally appointed to the role on February 9.

Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta appointed the commission following a recommendation last year from a Review and Observer Team. The team monitored the actions of elected members amid concerns it was too dysfunctional to deliver on the Long-term Plan.

A Tauranga City Council spokeswoman said the commissioners met with more than 2200 people and attended 34 different meetings between May 7 and June 7 as part of the Long-term Plan 2021-2031 consultation.

The council received 1793 submissions and 220 submitters spoke during hearings that ran from June 14 to 18.

Tolley, a former deputy mayor of Napier and East Coast MP, is responsible for ensuring any expenses claimed by the commissioners were reasonable.

Under the Cabinet fees framework, the chairperson for this type of group would normally be paid between $390 and $885 a day, while the members would get $290 to $560 a day.

Tauranga City Council commissioner Stephen Selwood. Photo / NZME

Tolley told the Bay of Plenty Times Weekend the commission had already sought to reduce the days it worked because of the extra cost.

Tolley said that, when appointed, the commission was originally expected to work two to three days a week but this was not feasible leading up to the Long-term Plan.

"Because we went out and did extra consultation it turned into five days a week, nights, on some days we would start at 9[am] and go through until 9.30 at night. There were some pretty long hours."

The commission was now looking to consolidate its workload into fewer days, about three a week, she said.

"We don't mind if we have longer days. We are trying to keep costs down but we are very conscious if we are there for a day and charging for the day, we should use it to the full extent. We are trying to be prudent."

Tolley said the commission had a busy programme that it was seeking the council to deliver on over the next 10 years.

Tauranga City Council commissioner Shadrach Rolleston. Photo / NZME

"But it's a big city and to run a big city, it's not quite a full-time job but there's a lot happening at the moment. There will be a lot more as we head towards the end of the year."

Tolley referred to the last full council meeting, in which 14 significant agenda items were deliberated and decided upon. These included plans to establish an affordable housing area and the council's position on the proposed Three Waters reform.

Last year, before elected members were discharged of their duties and the commission appointed, councillors were on salaries of between $105,628 and $144,078 a year, with the deputy mayor on $121,472 and mayor on $166,500. Members took a temporary 5 per cent reduction after the initial Covid-19 outbreak.

Mahuta previously said in a statement she planned to set the fees above the usual framework range due to the high-profile nature of the commissioner role, the level of expertise needed to deliver on the terms of reference and the time commitment required.