Hamilton Council CEO Richard Briggs has received a 33 per cent pay increase since he took up the role, bringing his salary to $440,000. Photo / NZ Herald
Hamilton Council CEO Richard Briggs has received a 33 per cent pay increase since he took up the role, bringing his salary to $440,000. Photo / NZ Herald
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 October2014. 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.
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.
