COUNCIL staff expenses increased by $12.8 million this year, with a 5 per cent pay rise for administrative staff and an increase in full time staff.
Ipswich City Council employs close to 1540 staff from administrative, technical, operational and professional employees.
An extra 45 staff members were employed by the Council in the past year.
The total remuneration paid to Council’s senior management team was more than $2.3 million.
Chief Executive Officer Sonia Cooper earned $523,852, while another senior bureaucrat earned a total remuneration package in the range of $400,000 to $499,999.
Four senior bureaucrats earned between $300,000 and $399,999.
Mayor Teresa Harding was paid a base annual salary and superannuation totalling $258,228.
Cr Harding also claimed $31,331 in expenses and $25,480 for her transport allowance.
Deputy Mayor Nicole Jonic’s total was $175,601 and councillors’ pay packets totalled $154,936.
All councillors are paid a $22,423 transportation allowance each year instead of being provided with a fleet car and car allowance.
Division 3 Councillors cost the city the most in expenses this year, with Cr Marnie Doyle claiming $23,149 and Cr Andrew Antoniolli $19,069.
Division 1 Councillor Pye Augustine claimed $18,701 in expenses.
Her Division 1 counterpart Cr Jacob Madsen and Division 2 and 4 Councillors claimed less expenses, with Cr Madsen claiming $6932, Cr Jonic $9134, Cr Paul Tully $6530, Cr Jim Madden $7897 and Cr David Martin $5696.
A further $147,530 in councillor costs which were not directly attributed to individual councillors was also documented.
Call and data costs associated with Council smart phones are not included in the Annual Report and are provided by Council along with the Nichols St offices and administrative support and access to Council-owned facilities for meetings.
