Invercargill City Council chief executive Michael Day is paid $429,300 after an 8 per cent increase, making him the highest paid of Southland's four council chief executives, the Otago Daily Times reported on Monday.
The four chief executives together earn more than $1.5 million a year, according to figures gathered by Local Democracy Reporting.
Mr Day's previous salary was $396,785. The rise was approved in August and backdated to 1 July.
His figure includes a vehicle. It does not include KiwiSaver, fringe benefit tax or allowances.
The city council has six positions on its executive leadership team. Their average pay is $260,132.
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Southland District Council chief executive Cameron McIntosh received $405,779 in the year to June 2026, up 3 per cent on the year before. That figure includes fringe benefit tax.
Mr McIntosh had a performance review in September. The council did not give an updated salary and referred questions to its annual report.
Environment Southland chief executive Stephen Hall, who started in July, earns $380,000 a year. The regional council released his package with his consent.
Environment Southland's five general manager positions average $228,208.
Gore District Council chief executive Deborah Lascelles earns $298,725 a year including benefits, according to the council's most recent annual report.
The council said her performance review had only just started, so that figure is still current.
"This process takes some time," Gore District Council chief financial officer Lornae Straith said.
Added together, the four published chief executive figures come to $1,513,804, although each council calculates its figure on a different basis.
The chief executives earn well above the elected leaders of their councils, whose pay is set by the Remuneration Authority.
Invercargill Mayor Tom Campbell is paid $165,687. Southland District Mayor Rob Scott is paid $152,473.
Environment Southland chair Jeremy McPhail is paid $136,773, and Gore Mayor Ben Bell $128,211.
On those figures, Mr Day earns $263,613 a year more than Mr Campbell, and Ms Lascelles earns $170,514 more than Mr Bell.
What happens next
Gore District Council has not yet finished Ms Lascelles' review, and any change to her pay has not been announced.
Southland District Council's annual report remains its published source for Mr McIntosh's pay. Mayoral and chair salaries are set nationally by the Remuneration Authority, not by the councils.
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