Victoria council has taken a step toward never again having to vote on its own remuneration.
Council voted Thursday to have Mayor Marianne Alto write to the province to ask it to change the council compensation approval process to remove councils from making decisions on their own compensation.
The move comes a week after Victoria councillors stepped back from voting themselves a 25 per cent raise.
Councillors put on hold plans for the raise they voted for themselves in March. Instead, the city will establish a task force to make recommendations on salary adjustments and when they will take effect.
The reversal came after hundreds of people raised concerns about the process around increasing the salary of a sitting council, with many arguing it should not apply until the next council.
Others were also upset at the suggestion councillors would get a raise when they are planning to impose a 7.93 per cent budget increase this year, while others were concerned it was brought forward for a vote without any warning.
The task force, which will be expected to provide a report and recommendations by July 1, will review the city’s decision on pay and benefits, meet with councillors to determine time commitments for city work, and determine salary and benefit adjustments and when those adjustments should take effect.
>>> To comment on this article, write a letter to the editor: [email protected]
