Marryatt may keep $34,000
RACHEL YOUNG
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Embattled Christchurch City Council chief executive Tony Marryatt has rejected a controversial $68,000 pay rise, but may hold on to the more than $34,000 he has already been paid.
After a meeting between Local Government Minister Nick Smith, Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee and councillors yesterday, Mayor Bob Parker announced Marryatt had declined his 14.4 per cent salary increase.
Smith also announced the Government had decided to appoint former Local Government New Zealand chairman Kerry Marshall as a crown observer to assist the council.
Marshall would provide advice to Parker, councillors and Marryatt, and would report back to Smith when necessary.
Marryatt said last night his rejection of the pay rise was a sign of his commitment to Christchurch, the council and its staff.
"There has been a lot of public opinion against the council's decision to increase my salary. I don't want the issue around my pay to affect the rebuild of this great city."
However, he said he would only return the money he had received to date if councillors worked together.
"The councillors said today they would work together collegially. If they can be true to this commitment, I will make a similar commitment in the same spirit of good faith and will give back any increase I've received to date."
His pay increase had been backdated to July 1 last year, meaning he has already been paid more than $34,000. After the pay rise, Marryatt's total annual salary was $538,529.
Mayor Bob Parker praised Marryatt's decision to decline the pay rise. "I think it is a gesture of tremendous faith and belief in the council and our desire to work together, and I thank him for that."
The pay rise has attracted widespread criticism, with a group of residents planning a protest outside the council's Hereford St offices to voice their concerns.
No Payrise For Tony Marryatt protest organiser Peter Lynch said the protest would still go ahead on Wednesday. Marryatt's decision was "too little too late", and protesters would ask him to give back the money he had already been paid.
"He is not God. He is a civil servant and nothing has changed," he said. "I can't believe that is all he has done ... he should've been fired."
Lynch vowed to continuing fighting the council until further action was taken.
The group was expecting "thousands" to turn up to the protest.
Wider Earthquake Communities' Action Network spokesman, the Rev Mike Coleman, said Marryatt should resign.
"He had to be told to turn down the pay rise. That's the kind of integrity that this man has."
Marryatt had fought only for himself and never for the people of Canterbury, he said.
Aspiring Christchurch City councillor and outgoing Christ Church Cathedral Dean Peter Beck said it was about time Marryatt said "thank-you but no thank-you".
Previously, Marryatt had justified his pay rise based on the market rate and his performance, that his role had "grown immensely" since the February earthquake and because he was committed to Christchurch and its rebuild.
- © Fairfax NZ News
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Cant understand why a job like that gets half a million dollars in salary! ridiculous
I suggest the heading should be "Marryatt may keep $34,000, and he will give back $470,000" as he is not performing well enough to warrant his original salary, let alone be re-employed into the role of CEO.
Mr Maryatt,
Put your money where your mouth is and give your pay rise to the Steve Hart Foundation. See the link below....this is someonew who really needs some help and I cant beleive in this day and age that people in this condition have to have fund raisers to get $30 to $60K when you are handed this money like candy.....I also challenge all the other Council members to donate to this appeal...Lets see what happens????
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Steven-Hart-Fund/305674389452704
@kp#99 "listen to you all!!!im so sick of this moaning ...if you dont like whats happening then leave. I would think 80% of you all are left wing labour/green supporters, that have to protest to get your own way!!!" Yes let's all leave and take our skills with us. I'm sure the likes of sideshow Bob and Tony sour boy can pour concrete foundations or relevel houses. Hold on we won't need tese skills as everyone will be gone.
After hearing that Mr Marryatt had declined his pay rise I decided there was no need to attend the protest on Feb 1. Then the media alterted me to the truth about Mr Marryatt's "amazing" performance, which was used as a justification for the pay rise by Mayor Parker, Deputy Mayor Button, and by extension the Council "A Team". Turns out Mr M's performance was hardly stellar, so I am even more angry than before. If this is typical of the quality of their decision making (and the Henderson purchase, the luxurious Bulls**t Castle, the $80k waste on a communications review, etc suggests it is) I have no confidence in this Council to act wisely and responsibly in the administration of our money. The issue is about much more than the pay rise, which was just a symptom. If you are concerned about transparent local govt, it's a great idea to turn up on 1 Feb.
KP #99
Your lack of empathy for your fellow Christchurch residents is breathtaking. I can only assume you don’t live in our would - paying inflated insurance and rates on a property you can’t live in while paying those outgoings again in your rent. Perhaps you live in the West or are one of the councillors who voted for Marryatt’s pay rise. This is not about politics and we are not all leftwing greenies - far from it, although it is clear that the Government’s support for the CCC will have political consequences. Nick Smith has talked the talk - we want councils to be more constrained with their rate setting and be within inflation figures, but not walked the walk abandoning Christchurch when there were clear grounds for decisive action.
Can someone please tell me how this idiot Marryatt (town clerk for CHCH) gets much more salary than the Prime Minister John Key, who runs the whole country? There is something grossly wrong here. BRING ON 1 FEBRUARY!
So "Over It" just how do you propose that these "respondents" get their houses repaired, rebuilt, their land repaired, their EQC claims paid? the community frustration and anger is nothing to so with those issuses even. This is specifically about an elected council and the Mayor who have lost control of the council and allowed CEO Marryatt to do what he likes and being paid probably close to one million dollars in salary, benefits and directors fees a year from our rates money!!
CERA are doing the rebuild and frankly if we do not get rid of the Mayor, the CEO and council of this fine city they will bankrupt us with 12 months. So from your tower look eastwards, I suspect that you really have no idea what you are talking about - we simply can't wait for a new election is is all way past that.
Respect your opinion but perhaps do a little more reading.
I shall not pay any further CCC rates until Parker and Marryatt resign from the council and allow a fresh mayoral election.
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Blackmail seems to be rife at the CCC. Just listen to Bob Parker, If he goes I go. If Marrayatt goes then half the senior staff will go. A commissioner will sell all our assets. Be careful what you wish for. Thats all I can think of for the moment, but I'm sure there are more.