Wanganui District councillors will continue with their existing salary structure and rates of pay, despite only four councillors agreeing to it.
Councillors discussed the issue of their pay at the council's strategy and finance committee meeting yesterday.
All mayors have their pay set by the Remuneration Authority, which also gives each council a pool of money to be divided among the rest of the council.
Each council must then decide how it wishes to divide this money, and make its recommendations to the authority. Councillors must make their decisions on pay annually.
The bone of contention yesterday was the proportion of pay committee chairs receive, compared to councillors with no special responsibilities.
A councillor with no special responsibilities earns $25,581, while the deputy mayor and committee chairs receive $29,418 - a 15 per cent difference. Other possible options presented to councillors included that difference being raised to 25 per cent or 50 per cent.
Councillor Philippa Baker-Hogan, chairwoman of the community and environment committee, said she could not support any change that involved taking money off some to give to others: "I would be very unhappy if I had a pay rise that had a detrimental effect on any other councillors."
Ms Baker-Hogan put a motion that the existing salary rate continue for the 2012-13 financial year, and this was seconded by Mayor Annette Main.
Councillor Nicki Higgie agreed with Ms Baker-Hogan, saying no councillor should have money taken away from them if their role hadn't altered.
However, Councillor Hamish McDouall said he would be happy to take a reduction if it meant committee chairs' work was better reflected in their pay.
"There's a lot of commitment and responsibility involved in being a committee chair. They do a hell of a lot more work than us ordinary councillors," Mr McDouall said.
Councillor Sue Westwood indicated she would abstain from voting, and urged her fellow councillors to do the same.
"It is unacceptable that we have to sit here and discuss our own salaries. If we all abstain, that will send a clear message to the Remuneration Authority."
Four councillors - Annette Main, Philippa Baker-Hogan, Allan Anderson and Nicki Higgie - voted for the motion, three voted against - these were Hamish McDouall, Rob Vinsen and Ray Stevens. Four councillors - Rangi Wills, Randhir Dahya, Jack Bullock and Sue Westwood - abstained from voting. The motion was passed because the abstentions were not counted among the votes.
Two councillors - Michael Laws and Clive Solomon - were absent from the meeting.