Liverpool Plains Shire Council residents won't face rate rise to increase superannuation payments for mayor and councillors

LIVERPOOL Plains residents won't face a rate rise after a motion to increase superannuation payments for councillors was rejected.

On Wednesday the Liverpool Plains Shire Council unanimously voted against increasing superannuation contributions for councillors which would have seen payments increase by almost $70,000 over the next five years.

The money would have come from either a rate increase or by drawing money away from existing services and infrastructure.

Earlier:

RATES could be on the rise for Liverpool Plains residents if a motion is passed by council on Wednesday.

Liverpool Plains Shire Council (LPSC) will vote on whether superannuation payments should increase for mayors and councillors at the expense of the community.

LPSC mayor Doug Hawkins said he was opposed to the increase at this time, calling the burden on the ratepayers "unfair".

"It's just something that I'm not comfortable with," he said.

"We'd need to be in a much more financial position in order to do it."

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If the motion is given the green light by council the expected additional cost would be almost $70,000 over the next five years.

This money would come from either a rate increase, or by diverting money away from other services and infrastructure to cover the cost.

According to the Councillor Superannution Discussion Paper, released in March 2020, it is believed increasing superannuation contributions would encourage more women and young people to stand as candidates and ensure that elected officials were adequately paid.

While Cr Hawkins considered the cost to the ratepayer would be "minimal" he said now was not the time to be increasing rates.

"We've just gone through a rate increase," he said.

Rates are already set to increase by 16.6 per cent for Liverpool Plains residents over the next two years, after the NSW Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) approved the Shire's application.

To increase rates again so soon after was not a viable option, Cr Hawkins said.

"I think that it's probably too early for us because we're right in the middle of a performance review with IPART," he said.

Despite his hesitancy, Cr Hawkins said he would be more inclined to consider the increase at a later date.

"In 12 months down the track I'm hoping that with all the improvements we've put in place we will be better off, but we're not in that space yet."

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