Christchurch City Council chief executive Dawn Baxendale gets pay rise

Christchurch City Council chief executive Dawn Baxendale has had an $18,000 pay rise. Photo / Supplied

Christchurch City Council chief executive Dawn Baxendale has had an $18,000 pay rise.

Her salary is now $502,425 - a 1.5 per cent increase from $495,000.

Mayor Lianne Dalziel said in the two years that Baxendale has been chief executive she has done an excellent job in extremely challenging circumstances.

"She has steered the organisation through the social and economic pressures of the Covid-19 pandemic and has put the organisation in a strong financial position.

"She is always looking at ways to improve the organisation's performance, putting the needs of residents first."

Baxendale voluntarily took a $50,000 pay cut last year in recognition of the challenges that people were facing because of Covid-19, Dalziel said.

"The elected council has agreed to a small pay increase in recognition of her hard work and strong leadership over the past two years."

Because the public sector has been asked to exercise pay constraint, the council has agreed to a smaller increase than her performance would otherwise warrant.

Baxendale will also receive a 2 per cent increase in her superannuation package, which, with her additional annual leave, will take her total annual remuneration to $553,054 (up from $534,600).