The mayor of a Sydney council has defended the council's staff salaries after voting by no less than 40 percent.
On Tuesday evening, the Northern Beaches Council voted 8-7 to increase rates by 36.6 percent in three years.
If the NSW Independent Regulator approves the increase, residents would see their rates rise by $ 673 a year.
About 200 indignant locals protested outside the council building, forcing the meeting to stop twice due to disruptions.
Independent councilor Vincent de Luca, who voted against the proposal, said that the council will spend $ 25 million on 111 managers, directors and managers.
Scott Phillips, CEO of the Council, earns an eye-watery $ 544,875 a year, which is $ 42,075 shortage of the $ 586,950 Pay Packet by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Mayor Sue Heins of Northern Beaches defended the salary of Mr Phillips and told the Channel 10 project that his income was 'not unusual'.
“So we don't have a liquidity problem,” Cr Heins told Channel 10s the project on Wednesday.
Mayor of Northern Beaches Sue Heins (photo) defended the salary of the CEO Scott Phillips council and claimed that his $ 544,875 a year were 'not unusual' income
The mayor was confronted with the tariff increase by the project host Sarah Harris
'Like all councils on that very high function, we are a function that does not come under a price.
'We all look and headhunt for people we are looking for. The rate of our CEO is therefore not unusual. '
Mr. Phillips was hired in 2023 for a five -year contract as CEO of the local government NSW.
The Northern Beaches Council annual report before 2023 to 2024 showed that his four senior employees, excluding Mr Phillips, earned a combined $ 2,846,877.
The figures showed that Northern Beaches Council paid its top managers more than almost any other council in the metropolitan area of ​​Sydney.
Northern Beaches Council has 1800 employees of a total cost of $ 159 million, accounting for 40 percent of the annual budget.
CR Heins also justified the rise of the council and claimed that the northern beaches were 'really struck by weather conditions', making it susceptible to' away 'away, storm problems' and' rainwater issues'.
The project -guesthouse Sarah Harris asked the mayor if the mass rise in speed could push residents who struggle with the costs of life from the area.
“Not everyone who lives on the northern beaches is rich, some people have been there for generations,” Harris said.
CR Heins said it was a 'care', because the demography of the area has many young families and also consists of a large senior population.
Mr Phillips (photo) earns a dazzling $ 544,875 a year, which is $ 42,075 short of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese $ 586,950 Pay Packet
“It's something we are very aware of,” said Cr Heins.
“Our senior demography, who are very much on a fixed income, will clearly find this very, very challenging.”
She added that the council could not 'remain the credit card' for its residents as the costs of living increases.
“The costs of everything rise, whether it is your electricity bill, whether it is your water bill, whether it is insurance, everything is increasing,” said Cr Heins.
'I think there is a point which councils have tried to absorb as many increases as possible, but we cannot continue to be the credit card.
“We have to keep helping everyone.”
The Northern Beaches Council represents around 267,000 inhabitants in its approximately 50 suburbs from Palm Beach to Manly.
Although the area is a relatively good part of Sydney, many of the residents said in the longer term who attended the meeting that the extra $ 673 – the average annual increase – was more than many.
About 200 indignant locals gathered outside of Dee why the municipality of rooms to protest against the vote.
Many were seen those signs that read that read 'within your budget' and 'cutbacks before the rate increases', while the group 'all sang them'.
It comes after the Council voted to have voted the rates by a maximum of 40 percent in three years, which led to a protest of indignant locals (photo)
About 200 angry residents protested against the mood, where many claimed that the increase was 'outrageous' (photo)
One local told Daily Mail Australia that he was shocked about 'The Cheek' of the council to increase the rates in this way and wondered what he will get in exchange.
“I paid the rates, first at Manly Council, then 21 years at the Northern Beaches Council, and the services did not keep up the tariff increases,” he said.
'I thought the rates were too high two decades ago, but they have steadily risen every year and now they want to put it with 40 percent. It's outrageous.
'We have nice beaches here, but mother nature offered that, not the advice. What do they spend all the money they need to hit the locals like that? '
A woman during the meeting said: 'They treat us as idiots. The mayor sounded like a school teacher who chases us.
'Many of us have a hard time. This will send people and many small companies to the wall. '
The proposed interest rate rise will be brought to the independent prices and the regulation tribunal that will assess whether an increase of 39.6 percent will be fair in three years.
If approved, it will yield around $ 57 million extra each year.
