mmg.com.au

Jenny Houlihan is the clear favourite to be elected mayor at today’s Greater Shepparton City Council statutory meeting.

As well as electing a mayor and deputy mayor, the first formal meeting of the new council will consider remuneration and set the schedule for ordinary meetings.

A change in time for ordinary meetings is on the cards, with a proposal to push the start time back to 5.30pm likely to have enough support.

Later meetings were trialled for several months in early 2010, but reverted to the old 1pm start when it was apparent fewer members of the public were turning up.

If adopted, the new 5.30pm start time will commence from the November 20 meeting.

Meetings would still be held on the third Tuesday of each month except for January.

It is also proposed from next year the council hits the road for ordinary meetings.

The April 2013 meeting is suggested for Mooroopna and the September meeting for Tatura to facilitate greater involvement from those communities.

Today’s meeting will also set the remuneration for the mayor and councillors, with a total annual cost of $236300 recommended.

A mayoral allowance is proposed of $69325 and a councillor allowance of $22405.

The allowance is in addition to any out-of-pocket expenses incurred by councillors while performing their duties as council members.

Both allowances are at the tip of the range for a category two council.