The regional council had been required by the Remuneration Authority to allocate pay for councillors who took on extra responsibilities, just months before the next local body election.
Under the new remuneration system, to come into effect after the October elections, the base salary for regional councillors had been set at $43,300 and the chairman's salary at $117,750.
The amount left for additional responsibility payments plus any allowance the council wanted to make for work on regional plans was $64,950.
The regional council was revising its regional policy statement and also had on its schedule possible amendments to its water and air plans.
Council corporate services director Wayne Scott said at a recent council meeting that based on the council's five-committee structure continuing into the next three-year cycle, it was suggested the deputy chairman, who would also be a committee chairman, should receive $17,320 and other committee chairmen an extra $8600.
That left a pool of $12,990 available for allocation to councillors for time spent considering the regional plans.
It was ''odd'' for this council to be making decisions for the next council but that was what the authority required. There was provision for the new council to go back to the authority to have things amended if, for example, it changed the committee structure, Mr Scott said.
Chairman Stephen Woodhead said the idea behind it was to enable those standing in the October election to be aware of what their possible remuneration could be.
The council agreed with Mr Scott's allocation suggestion and it would be referred back to the authority for acceptance.
