Remuneration for elected members of the Stratford District Council was on the agenda at last week's full Council meeting.
A report to councillors gave them options for paying elected members.
The Remuneration Authority undertook a review earlier this year and made changes to the way pay rates for local government officials are set.
The amount to be distributed is determined by a range of factors, including the district's total assets and the number of people in it. The total remuneration Stratford District Councillors have to distribute between themselves is less than the amounts allocated to their counterparts in South Taranaki and New Plymouth.
The pool to be allocated will not be affected if councillor numbers increase or decrease in future.
Council corporate accountant Christine Craig told councillors the Remuneration Authority had allocated a total pool of $264,396 to be distributed among the elected members, excluding the mayor, whose pay is determined separately.
She said the entire amount had to be used.
The report contained three options for Councillors to consider.
The first was for councillors to each receive an equal split of $26,439, regardless of any extra significant responsibilities. The second option was to split the pool and recognise extra significant responsibilities of particular roles such as chairing committees. The third was to come up with a different option.
Councillors unanimously voted on option two, splitting the pool of money to a base salary rate of $24,967.
Extra roles were given a larger share of the pool, with deputy mayor Alan Jamieson now to be paid $34,953 per annum.
Compared to 2018-2019, elected members' new base salary has an increase of $6574. Deputy mayor Alan Jamieson has had a pay increase of $9204.
Chairperson of the Sport NZ Rural Travel Fund John Sandford will receive $25,964 while Grant Boyde, chairperson of the new Farm and Aerodrome committee, will receive $28,967.
Councillors were also asked to decide if they wanted a childcare policy drafted.
The childcare policy is a legislative change to the Remuneration Authority which allows councils to have a childcare policy with a cap of $6000 per child per annum.
Councillors voted in favour of the policy being drafted.
Christine said the mayor's salary is decided separately by the Remuneration Authority.
Mayor Neil Volzke will receive a base salary of $89,500.