The new budget for Newcastle City Council will include an $11.7 million increased expenditure on road resurfacing and $95 million on infrastructure, amongst other things.
It's decided a total of $21.3 million will be allocated to road improvement alone.
However, several local councillors have raised concerns over the lack of transparency with the government's spending and what is being left out in the current budget.
Deputy Lord Mayor, Declan Clausen says the new budget is balanced, but Independent councillor Kath Elliot believes the government is putting the money towards more self-interested projects.
'[Independent councillors] are very concerned that Council is moving into an operating deficit. Money is being pulled out of renewal activities such as bridges, footpaths, stormwater systems, waste management and parks and sporting facilities, and put into large budget items where we can't actually see where the money is being spent.'
Last night's Council meeting also discussed a push for a New Committee for Greater Newcastle as a way to join government, industry and community to better inform budget decisions.
Council says a main aim of the budget is to bring together these three factions in a non-partisan fashion, to form a unified voice that represents Newcastle's interests for Council spending going forward.
