It is surprising that local councillors are being paid at an ever increasing rate.
Twenty years ago to serve on a local council was an honour and usually only people who were able to devote themselves to giving up two or three nights a week came forward.
Today the landscape on Council has changed to where Mayors earn more TAX FREE income from the position than their regular work.
Councils are paying for out of pocket expences that in many cases double or treble the TAX FREE allowances that Councillors are receiving.
All this ratepayers money being showered on councillors who in some towns or Shires only get one or two hundred votes.
Today with pay, Councillors are younger and less experienced in life than previously.This is costing Councils more as the Council Staff have more knowledge of the community than the young Councillors who now just sit and listen to the Administration Staff.

If only I could tell you about my council, but I can not no room for contraversy here, it would be deleated.
However mine should not be paid one cent that view is without doupt shared by most rate payers here.
How do we get rid of them? all councils? surely something better exists?

My extensive experience with councils (as a citizen and not a councillor) have shown me they are run as a cabal, and there seems very little to separate them. One of my main concerns is how little experience, aptitude or training any of them have, young or old. These people, with so few qualifications and no experience or training, step into positions that are in effect multi-million dollar businesses, with huge responsibilities that they seem so inept at discharging. I have recently read where 2/3 of them are in financial difficulties such that if they were private companies, they would be obliged to be declared bankrupt. What are we doing in letting this go unremarked? Their gross inefficiencies and mismanagement really has to be looked at in more depth. Their only response is to raise rates and lower services.
arcticdog

Research shows that certain Local Government organisations are negotiating a really cheap bargain on mobile phones.

So even if they are moved over to contract based 'representation' they will still have more phone use than me and ten others can afford.

Its called rule by the few. And it will be paid for by the GST.

Cheap phones? my local council is cheap! not the rates in no way are they cheap.
But in time service and just general interest in doing the job.
Dureing my liftime 100,s of councils have been found corrupt or not doing the job.
Why must we have self serving, self interested councelors?
Do other types exist?
Raw sewage in my street speaks for itself.

It's easy to complain about councils. Much harder to run for council, win, and make a difference.

I'm not a councillor, and have never been a councillor, though I do come into contact with council quite regularly.
There are times when I don't get along with them, and there are times when I do.

It isn't an easy position. Consider this: If they are keen on development, then they are attacked for this, and accused of being too pro business - especially if you are a residential person being put out by a nearby development.

If they crack down on business, they are also attacked for too much red tape and regulation.

They have to decide whether a business or house should be built in a particular location - they often have to deal with what will end up happening further down the track. They get attacked for spending too much of ratepayers money, and they get attacked for not spending enough on projects - generally by whoever has a bee in their bonnet because they're not getting what they want.

When a matter gets controversial, they know that no matter what they decide, there will be pissed off people.

In QLD they also have to deal with planning schemes, which is state legislation, not a local Act.

I'll admit, at times it does seem like they act like a 'cabal' of their own volition - but often, they are prescribed in what they can do anyway (they have to have strict reasons for refusing certain applications and have to deal with their planning schemes) and a lot of the time, people are just abusing them for the sake of it.

I've watched them make their decisions, and I know there are some bad eggs out there. But there are some good ones too, but people don't want to hear about that. They'd rather just complain than run for Council and do something about it.

My instant response to the original question is that I wouldn't feed them, let alone pay them. "My lot" are a bunch of retired ex-public service busybodies who get their kicks from interfering in the lives of other people, and haven't a constructive brain cell between them.

But it does raise a broader question, highlighted by TRTL's encomium to their selfless devotion to a difficult task (*choke*).

Would it not be better if these folks were completely unpaid for their "work"? For a start, councils would then be populated only by genuine amateurs, motivated by the care of their community. With only the obvious caveats - that any "insider trading" on development deals would be a significantly criminal, jail-able offence - we would see their deliberations shorten, their decisions more community-relevant and their costs re-allocated to constructive uses.

And while we are about it, let us put the same rules in place for State and Federal Government as well. Or as an entirely either-or alternative, ensure that our representatives to those Parliaments are measured and remunerated on their ability to pass only legislation that they committed to in their election manifesto.

As it stands, we are condemned to the worst of all worlds - venal, money-grubbing semi-professionals out to feather their own nests, and using our money to do so.

Yes it is easy to knock a council, far oo easy, they are after all a target that does not move.
Long ago I found myself working for one, well thats not quite true you loyter about unless you want to be noticed no real need to work exists.
But I wanted to work! always and forever wanted to work, do what I was paid to do.
That put me on the outer for a start but my job was a dirty one, one that frightened some I had to find illegal pipes dumping sewage into the rainwater pipes.
And find evedence of the T peice pipes that ran town water into the drains all night into the septic tank takeing both water and septic into the drains.
Council stood firm against average home owners threats and for a while that beach and lake was cleaner.
Now my local council openly says they are unable to stand against threats or stop raw sewage running past my door!
Diferent council different area and 35 years after but we do not need councilors. we need contractors working for state goverments and rate payers.

Belly
I tell you what else we need. A policy of no advise given by phone. Anybody wanting info on building or extentions should get it in writing.
My family made four calls to the Gold Coast City Council before Xmass. We enquired if we needed a permitt to put up shade sails. NO Was the 4 reply.
Three meters of decking to extend our balcony. No was the answer.

We were told to put our water tank one and a half meters from the wall as well.
Our ten year old above ground pool we didnt require a permitt for or a child proof fence because we had twelve feet brick fences and lock gates. etc.

After being raided by a council jerk[ mind you my daughter was in the pool in you nickers and bra] we are now served with show cause and enforcement notices. The creep actually told me to shut up! when I tried to tell him we had only done what the council told us on the phone he then said he would issue a on the stop fine of hundreds of dollars and anything I may say may be taken down and used in evidence against me in court.
this is going to cost us many thousands of dollars.
All because we did as they!! instructed. Sake The council.
Appoint a public company voloteers- anything is better than these arrogant big headed misinformed bastards!