City of Newcastle (CN) chief executive officer Jeremy Bath has received a three per cent pay increase following an annual performance review process conducted by councillors.
A spokesperson said the raise was unanimously recommended by the CEO Performance Review Panel, which was chaired by former Lord Mayor Ross Kerridge in February this year.
They added the panel included councillor input and independent oversight.
“The process is supported by an independent facilitator who was chosen by the Panel, again when Ross Kerridge was Lord Mayor,” the spokesperson said.
“All councillors were invited to provide feedback on the CEO’s performance and that feedback was considered by the Panel as part of the review process.”
According to the council, Mr Bath was assessed as operating at a level of performance “above reasonable expectations” and was recognised for what it described as improved culture and organisational performance under his leadership.
CN confirmed the three per cent mark was approved in line with performance-based raises applied across the organisation.
“Council approved a 3% increase in CEO’s total remuneration package in alignment with the performance-based increase granted to staff who achieve their performance goals,” the spokesperson said.
The review process forms part of an annual cycle applied to senior executives across the Hunter region.
“Every council general manager’s performance and salary is reviewed by their elected council annually,” the spokesperson said.
“For the Hunter, this means the process happens 10 times each year across the region.”
The spokesperson also confirmed the recommendation came through the formal performance review structure, which considered councillor feedback before reaching a final decision.
The increase follows wider scrutiny of senior council remuneration packages across the region, with previous figures showing Mr Bath’s total earnings already exceeding that of the NSW Premier prior to the adjustment.
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