They will vote on Tuesday night to ratify a unanimously carried recommendation from last week’s Policy and Resources Committee to lift their annual allowance from $17,064 to $17,930 – an increase, according to Cr Andrew Guile, of 5.1 per cent.

"One of the first things councillors are likely to do at the meeting tomorrow is award themselves a 5.1 per cent pay rise when the Local Government Remuneration Tribunal has only recommended a 2.5 per cent increase in line with all NSW public sector workers," Cr Guile said.

"Not only will councillors be breaching the pay increase limit, they are also attempting to hide future pay rises from the public by delegating power to the general manager to award increases.

"We are not talking about a lot of money here, yet we should expect councillors to make the setting of any fee or charge transparently and according to principles of fairness.

"When this Council increased rates by 8.3% last year, public pressure forced councillors to abandon any increase in their payment. Just 12 months later, the recommendation makes no mention of the 2.5 per cent increase and just adopts the maximum fee payable.”

Cr Guile said he would oppose the allowance increase at Tuesday night’s ordinary meeting.