Editorial: No show, no dough for councillors?

Mark Dawson, Editor of Wanganui Chronicle

The issue of paying Whanganui councillors for attending meetings - or, more pertinently, not paying them when they do not turn up - has come up again.

This time, mayoral aspirant councillor Helen Craig is the instigator, as reported in Saturday's Chronicle.

Mrs Craig has put a stake in the ground, saying she wants the new council to debate the matter after the October local body election.

It is a move which will find favour with many and, indeed, the Chronicle has supported consideration of the idea as giving better value for money for ratepayers.

The topic was put on the table by councillor Ray Stevens back in 2013 after a previous three-year term when his colleages Michael Laws and Clive Solomon had been regular non-attendees.

It did not get very far and Mrs Craig may also find significant obstacles in her path.
The main question is: Even if it has the will, does the council have the power to make such a ruling with councillor pay being decided by the independent Remuneration Authority?

Mrs Craig's main rival for the mayoralty, deputy mayor Hamish McDouall, is cool on the notion, pointing out correctly that there can be valid and pressing reasons for an elected member's absence. That, at least, marks out a point of difference for the coming campaign.

Putting good reasons aside, we have seen (or, rather, not seen) some councillors being absent on enough occasions that there is a question mark over whether they are discharging their duties as rigorously as we ratepayers would like.

It will be interesting to see if others standing for election take up the issue and whether it becomes a major topic of debate in the weeks leading up to polling day on October 8.