Delta council members have voted to give themselves a modest pay hike.
The civic politicians voted in favour Monday of a staff report recommending Mayor Lois Jackson's annual salary increase
by almost three per cent, jumping from $110,653 to $113,832. The councillors will see their remuneration rise by just over two per cent, from $47,653 to $48,734.
All raises are effective Jan. 1, 2014.
Council's last pay increase was in 2012.
For years Delta has calculated council salaries based on a comparison of four Metro Vancouver municipalities that are supposed to have similar populations: Coquitlam, Richmond, Township of Langley and District of North Vancouver. The salaries of Delta's mayor and councillors are set at the average of those four municipalities.
The current Delta remuneration rate had fallen below that average, so the raise recommendation was brought forward.
They'll also see their benefits package increased.
Six years ago, in 2008, the mayor's salary was $88,451, while councillors earned $36,295.
Civic politicians argue they carry a heavier workload than their counterparts elsewhere in the region. The report from staff once again brought up the fact Delta is the largest municipality in the province that continues to employ a mayor and six councillors. It's normal practice for municipalities with populations over 50,000 to have eight councillors.
