$60,000 pay rise for Hamilton City Council chief executive

Hamilton City Council chief executive Richard Briggs has been given a $60,000 pay rise bringing his annual salary to $440,000 - up 33 per cent since he started less than three years ago.

It is the second impressive pay rise for Briggs who took up the big job in October 2014. He has received a $110,000 increase in that time, the most the council has ever paid its top boss.

As $440,000 he's now just trailing behind the Prime Minister's annual salary of $459,739.

For the past two years he has received a 15 per cent annual increase in his salary. He waived an opportunity for a salary increase in 2015 after not even being in the role for a year.

The latest pay rise is more than the individual average income in Hamilton - $57,060.

Briggs' starting salary was $330,000 - $55,777 less than his predecessor Barry Harris.

The council also confirmed it had extended its contract for another four years until 2021.

Mayor Andrew King said it confirmed the council's confidence in the chief executive.

King said the council did not look at what other council bosses were on when making the decision and instead took advice from an independent company which gave them a guideline of salaries for all CEOs.

When asked whether other council staff should expect a 15 per cent increase, King said what was important was that Briggs was getting the correct level for his job.

"Richard is a performer. He's adding value to the council and I think council is very pleased with how he's going."

In comparison Auckland Council chief executive Stephen Town receives $690,000 a year.

Hamilton City Council would not provide the voting numbers, only to say it was a majority vote.

However, the Herald understands the vote was 8/4 following a heated debate. Councillor Phillip Yeung is still on leave.