New Plymouth District mayor and chief executive to take pay cuts

New Plymouth mayor Neil Holdom. Photo/ Supplied.

The mayor and chief executive of the New Plymouth District Council will take voluntary pay cuts in the wake of the Covid-19 emergency.

The mayor and other Councillors' pay is set by the Independent Remuneration Authority and the rules do not allow for salary reductions.

Mayor Neil Holdom will donate 10 per cent of his salary for the next six months to a range of Taranaki charities.

Neil says he knows business in the community and households are struggling in these times.

"My decision to take a pay cut has been made with my wife Melissa and is totally voluntary. As the leader of our District, it's the right decision for me to make as we tackle the biggest financial crisis of my generation.

"I note that there is some pressure from a small but vocal group in our community looking for Councillors to also take pay cuts and would remind Taranaki people that we have aimed to encourage a younger more diverse range of people into Council."

He says there is now a younger, more diverse group with mortgages and young families.

"They're earning around $50,000 a year doing fantastic work in our community and often quietly supporting many charity and volunteer organisations. I do not believe it is appropriate that the media or members of the public look to pressure our Councillors on this matter."

Chief executive Craig Stevenson has decided to reduce his pay by a further 10 per cent over the next six months, having previously turned down a 2.9 per cent pay increase offered by the Council.

This money will be allocated to the council's operational budget.

"This is a personal decision I have made and is my way of showing empathy and support to those who are affected by the current crisis. The entire team at NPDC is working incredibly hard to support our District as we look to recover from the pandemic."

The Council's Get Us Back on Our Feet plan will help address locally the economic pain of Covid-19 over the next year.

It includes a range of measures to kick-start the District's economy to support the Government's stimulus package while working with businesses, iwi and other partners.