$244,365
2 years of data
Benjamin Ryan Bell (born 11 May 1999) is a New Zealand politician who is the mayor of the town of Gore in the South Island. In October 2022, Bell was elected as Gore's youngest mayor at the age of 23 years, defeating the incumbent Tracy Hicks. In mid November, the Gore District Council rejected Bell's request to hire a personal executive assistant named Shanna Crosbie. Bell subsequently went on leave after his fellow councillors submitted a requisition requesting the removal of deputy mayor Stewart MacDonell. In May 2023, Bell's opponents abandoned an attempted vote of no confidence in his mayoral leadership. Following a mediation process involving an external facilitator, Bell and his fellow councillors mended their working relationships with the Gore District Council CEO Stephen Parry in August 2023.
| Year | Council | Role | Ward | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | Gore District Council | Mayor(current) | - | $128,211(highest) |
| FY2026 | Western Bay of Plenty District Council | Member(current) | Ōmokoroa Community Board | $80,822(avg) |
| FY2025 |
Source: Council pecuniary interest registers under the Local Authorities (Members' Interests) Act 1968. Declared interests do not imply conflicts or improper conduct.
No public sector role data available for this person. They may have roles in other sectors.
| Gore District Council |
| Mayor(current) |
| - |
| $116,154 |
| FY2025 | Western Bay of Plenty District Council | Member(current) | Ōmokoroa Community Board | $51,525(avg) |
| Total Career Earnings (2 years) | $244,365 | |||
Salary data from Remuneration Authority via NZ Taxpayers' Union analysis. Mayor/Chair salaries are individual; councillor salaries marked "(avg)" are council averages as individual councillor pay is not itemized.