AGY-1113 | Local Government Remuneration Tribunal

Full description

The Local Government Remuneration Tribunal was constituted under the Local Government Act 1993 (Act No.30, 1993) section 235 on 1 July 1993. The Tribunal is responsible for categorising councils, county councils (other than electricity authorities) and mayoral offices to determine the maximum amounts of fees to be paid to councillors, members of county councils and mayors in each category. In determining categories the Tribunal considers area size, terrain, population, level of development, volume of business, diversity of communities served, and area significance (whether local, regional, national or international). (1)

The Governor appoints persons to hold office as the Remuneration Tribunal. However, persons who are holders of civic office, council or county council employees, retired judges of a court of New South Wales, or have had the same status as a New South Wales judge (and are now retired) are ineligible for appointment. (2) There are also two Assessors designated to assist the Remuneration Tribunal - the Director-General of the Department of Local Government and a person appointed by the Governor who has specialist knowledge of the system of local government. (3) The Tribunal is required to make a determination by no later than 1 May each year and to report to the Minister within seven days of making a determination. The Report is to be published in the NSW Government Gazette and laid before each House of Parliament. The Minister can direct that a previous remuneration determination be re-evaluated. (4)

The Local Government Remuneration Tribunal handed down its first full report on fees for councillors and mayors on 1 May 1995. (5)

The amalgamation of councils in 2017 resulting in the creation of 20 new councils and an overall reduction in the number of councils in NSW from 152 to 128. The Tribunal reviewed the categories and determined a new categorisation model which differentiates councils primarily on the basis of their geographic location, population, the sphere of the council’s economic influence and the degree of regional servicing. (6)

The secretariat for NSW Remuneration Tribunals is located in the NSW Public Service Commission. While the secretariat provides administrative and policy support for each remuneration tribunal, the NSW Public Service Commission does not seek to influence the Tribunals in the undertaking of their independent statutory responsibilities. (7)

Endnotes
1. Local Government Act 1993 (Act No.30, 1993) Sections 239 1 & 2, Section 240 (1); NSW Government Gazette No.73, 1 July 1993, p.3341..
2. Ibid Schedule 1 - Local Government Remuneration Tribunal and Assessors Sections 1 & 2.
3. Ibid Section 236.
4. Ibid Section 242.1
5. Annual Report of the Department of Local Government for the year ended 30 June 1995, p.6.
6. NSW Government Gazette No.46, 27 April 2018, p.2742.
7. NSW Remunerations Tribunals, About, https://www.remtribunals.nsw.gov.au/about#where-is-the-nsw-remuneration-tribunal-secretariat (accessed 25 January 2023).