Tauranga's four commissioners have earned more than $1.1 million in the year they have been leading the council.

Their total remuneration is similar to that if a mayor and 10 councillors were in charge, only split between four people.

In February last year, Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta appointed the crown commission in place of the city's elected members.

The acting mayor and councillors were sacked in December 2020 because of the findings of an independent review and 'significant governance problems among elected representatives”.

Commission chair Anne Tolley and along with fellow commissioners Stephen Selwood, Shadrach Rolleston and Bill Wasley, were given the council's governance responsibilities.

Mahuta set remuneration at $1800 a day for the commission chair and $1500 for commissioners.

According to the council's remuneration figures, Tolley was paid $358,200 for 200 days work between February 2021 and February 2022.

Selwood earnt $261,000 for 174 days, Rolleston worked 174.5 days and was paid $261,750 and Wasley earnt $275,250 for 183.5 days work.

Tauranga City Council democracy services manager Coral Hair says the reason for the difference in the days worked by the commissioners is because of their different duties and responsibilities.

These include appointments to regional joint committees and they may also be asked to attend different events or meetings on the commission's behalf, says Hair.

For comparison, former mayor Tenby Powell had an annual salary of $158,175 before he resigned in November 2020. This was lowered from $166,500 a year in July 2020 in response to Covid-19.

The deputy mayor's annual salary was $121,472, councillors were paid between $105,628 and $114,078 depending on their extra responsibilities. These figures were also reduced in July 2020 because of Covid.

The commissioners have also amassed more than $71,000 in expenses as well.

Tolley, who normally resides in Ōhope, is paid $750 a week toward permanent accommodation costs in Tauranga. Her expenses total $35,565.

Rolleston resident, Sellwood's expenses were $34,337. He is paid a maximum of $750 a week for travel and accommodation costs.

Hair says $750 is the maximum that could be claimed even if the expenses are more than that.

'This is a financially neutral position for the council.”

Commissioners Wasley and Rolleston reside in Tauranga and are entitled to expenses if travelling out of Tauranga for business

Wasley's expenses were $1436 for the year and Rolleston has not claimed any.

The council are responsible for paying the commissioners remuneration and it is paid from the same pool set by the Remuneration Authority for elected members.

Withholding tax is deducted from the remuneration and expense figures exclude GST.

In response to why the commissioners are paid more than previous elected members Mahuta told Local Democracy reporting: 'It is worth noting that the four commissioners appointed to the council have taken on the roles of a mayor and ten councillors”.

'As ministerial appointments, the Commission's fees are set at a higher rate than the prescribed framework fees for a Group 4 Level 2 body due to the significant time commitment and the high level of skills and expertise required for the role,” she says.

The fees framework the Minister is referring to is for members appointed to bodies in which the crown has an interest.

Fees for a Group 4 Level 2 body are set at $390 to $885 a day for a chair and $290 - $560 for members.

'Commissioners are entitled to receive fees determined by section 258V of the Local Government Act 2002.”

Mahuta says the Commission's Chair is responsible for ensuring that any expenses claimed are reasonable and necessary.

Local Democracy Reporting is Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air.