At Tuesday night’s meeting councillors declined to give an allowance increase to the lord mayor or themselves.

They could have increased the annual fees up to $80,260 for the lord mayor and $27,550 for councillors. 

This would equate to an increase of about 7.7 per cent.

Council’s budget had already pencilled in a three per cent pay increase for the councillors.

At Tuesday night’s meeting, lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes was successful in her bid to have the money spent on a Wallsend Town Centre Masterplan instead. 

Councillor Declan Clausen spoke in support of Cr Nelmes’s plan, stating that Wallsend had been neglected for far too long.

Cr Clausen said the Wallsend community would greatly appreciate any money that came their way. 

Councillor Brad Luke said Newcastle representatives were already paid on the higher scale of the spectrum compared to other local councillors. 

Cr Luke said he would have preferred it if they were paid ‘‘somewhere in the middle of the minimum and maximum we are allowed to take’’. 

He said reducing councillors’ allowances would have been better message to send to residents, after a 46.9 per cent rate rise was recently approved.