Chief executive officer receives accolades from outgoing council for her performance

At last Wednesday’s Finance, Risk and Audit Committee meeting, Buller District Council commended its chief executive officer (CEO) Sharon Mason for her ongoing outstanding efforts.

Council considered the 2022 annual performance and salary review of its CEO through a formal and structured process that looks at the delivery of results against the CEO’s key performance indicators (KPIs).

Buller Mayor Jamie Cleine said: “Over the last few years, Buller has benefited from Sharon’s great work through the ongoing creation of jobs and increased spending on infrastructure. This was made possible through the additional funding flowing into the district.

Considering those achievements, it would be easy to overlook the huge effort Sharon has put in carrying out her role as the CEO. Especially in what has been an extremely challenging year with several major flood events.”

Council conducts an annual salary review at the same time as the performance review. This year, council has agreed to a salary increase that takes the CEO’s total remuneration to $260,100 per annum (being an increase of 4.75%).

As in previous years, seeking independent salary data how much CEs in the smaller-sized councils around the country are paid was part of the salary setting process. The increase places council’s CEO at the middle of the range of comparable CE salaries.

Deputy Mayor Sharon Roche, who chaired the remuneration and performance review process said: “As in past years, we are seeing continuing evidence that Buller has a great chief executive. We are fortunate to have Sharon in the role. I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to work with her.”

Mayor Cleine said: “Our job as the elected council is made much easier by having such a highly effective chief executive officer. Working closely with Sharon, allows me to appreciate just how much she does for Buller.”

Background

Council is legally obliged to carry out a (formal) review of the performance and salary of its CEO every year.

Normally that review process would be completed in September or October each year to align with the annual report process. Iin an election year the timing of that process is brought forward.

Since employing its new chief executive officer in 2018, council has publicly put in place formal key performance indicators (KPIs) for the chief executive which describe the crucial matters that the CE must deliver on. These KPIs describe results in simple terms of whether they are either achieved or not achieved.

Therefore, these KPIs provide a clear direction from council to the CEO, expressing what council expects from its CEO. Hence, setting the KPIs can be seen as one of the most important decision a council makes each year.

Council believes that there needs to be public transparency around what is being asked of the CEO, and what has been delivered.

ENDS-

For more information please contact:

Buller District Council Mayor
Jamie Cleine
Jamie.Cleine@bdc.govt.nz