City of Newcastle chief executive officer Jeremy Bath has forgone an increase to his $468,000-a-year salary arising from his annual performance review.
Consultants Blackadder Associates said in a review presented to councillors on Tuesday night that Mr Bath had performed "at a very high level" this year.
But it said the chief executive had asked for no performance-related pay increase out of recognition of the impact of COVID-19 on the council's finances.
Councillors, mayors and local government senior executives, including Mr Bath, will receive no standard pay rise in 2020-21 after recent decisions by state remuneration tribunals.
Mr Bath is also paid about $50,000 a year to sit on the Newcastle Airport boards, although the airport said in September that directors would take an unspecified but "significant" pay cut this year due to the pandemic.
Last year, Mr Bath received the standard 2.5 per cent increase plus a 1.75 per cent performance raise.
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