One of Australia’s most isolated councils is looking for a new chief executive to lead the city to financial prosperity.
Trustees of Coober Pedy council in South Australia have offered anyone willing to run the town a maximum salary of $274,437.
The council had previously offered future chief executives $234,437 a year, but when that didn’t work out, the state’s Remuneration Tribunal added another $40,000.
This will be the third time the council has raised the salary for the position, which started at $197,600 a year.
The chief executive of Coober Pedy council will earn the same amount as other council leaders in the state, such as those in Yankalilla, Tumby Bay, Clare and Gilbert valleys and Berri Barmera.
By way of comparison, the head of the state’s largest local government, Michael Sedgman, who heads Adelaide City Council, receives $425,000 each year.
The court hired a recruiting specialist to help find a new chief executive, but said salary caps posed a “significant impediment to recruitment.”
It is “highly unlikely” that candidates with the level of experience required for the job would be attracted to apply without the “financial incentive to move to such a remote location,” the specialist also noted.
Trustees of Coober Pedy council in South Australia have offered a maximum salary of $274,437 for anyone willing to run the town on September 11.
A notice published in the Official Gazette of the Remuneration Tribunal stated that it was important to find the right candidate for the post despite the time it took to do so.
“Furthermore, placing a less experienced candidate in office would be a challenge and a risk to the council and the community,” the court said. Advertiser reports.
‘To attract a candidate who could properly lead and manage the board, additional financial incentives would be needed.
‘The Court has recognised that Coober Pedy District Council faces unique regional and locational challenges together with additional responsibilities not generally associated with local government functions.
‘These challenges increase the level of complexity of the CEO role and the degree of risk associated with the hiring decision.’
The council had previously offered future chief executives $234,437, but when that didn’t work, the state’s Remuneration Tribunal added another $40,000.
Coober Pedy District Council has been a ‘non-compliant council’ since January 2019 and trustees have been monitoring its functions ever since.
The Court particularly highlighted the careful balance that must be struck between “a commercially sustainable rate and responsible spending” for that function.
Applications for the post are still open on the council website and interested candidates are encouraged to contact Coober Pedy Council directly.
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