MidCoast councillors voted to give themselves the maximum amount payable for 2021/22

The recommendation on the agenda for the meeting was for council to "accept the NSW Government's Local Government Remuneration Tribunal's determination with respect to the mayoral allowance and councillor fees payable from July 1, 2021, and apply the maximum fee for a non-metropolitan, general purpose council for a Regional Centre".

That equates to $24,810 per councillor (up from $24,320) plus an additional fee of $61,280 for the mayor (up from $60,080), representing a two per cent increase from last year.

Council also decided last year also to adopt the maximum fees for the year 2020/21.

All councillors voted to accept the recommendation apart from Cr Katheryn Smith, who had also also voted against receiving a pay rise in 2020.

"I understand that we don't get superannuation and all the other benefits that people believe we get, but our region has been hit hard, and I don't think in the public view an increase is a good look and I prefer to keep the status quo," Cr Smith said.

Cr Brad Christensen was the only other councillor to speak to the motion.

He said that for the benefit of people listening in on the Zoom meeting, "This is just a general recommendation for a yearly increase."

Councillor fees are determined by the Local Government Remuneration Tribunal.