The latest review from the Remuneration Authority is to be discussed at a council meeting today and Mr Cull says the 1.5% pay rise the authority set for councillors and the mayor for the 2016-17 year was not a significant one and effectively only accounted for inflation.
Even after the pay rise, which followed a more significant increase of about 9% last year, the councillors who worked "really hard'' would still not be paid enough to attract the best people, Mr Cull said.
The pay rates were not comparable with people in positions with a similar amount of responsibility in the private sector.
Corporate services manager Sandy Graham said councillors had no choice but to accept the pay increase as their incomes were independently set by the authority.
Money had been set aside in the council's draft annual plan for a pay increase, Ms Graham said.
However, councillors will today choose how to allocate an extra $28,885 the authority set aside to spread across councillors with extra responsibilities - the deputy mayor and committee chairmen.
The extra money came after the authority decided to increase the amount allocated among councillors with extra responsibilities to $110,635 per year, from $81,750 this year.
A report from council staff tabled alongside the authority's recommendation suggested the pay of the deputy mayor and committee chairmen could also be increased by 1.5%.
It also suggested a decision on any further changes be put off until the next council is elected in October.
The potential for more significant changes to councillors' pay was deferred after the authority decided it did not have enough information about the time it took to fulfil council responsibilities and the amount of extra work involved for councillors who were part of the second generation district plan process.
Remuneration Authority chairwoman Fran Wilde said in a letter addressed to Mayor Cull that a new review would be carried over the coming year to address the information gaps.
She said this year councillors around the country had been given increases ranging between 1.5% and 3%, with councillors in larger metropolitan areas receiving 1.5% increases and those in areas with more modest remuneration levels receiving increases of up to 3%.
Pay packets
What Dunedin local body politicians will earn in 2016-17.-
Mayor Dave Cull: $152,402
Deputy mayor: Yet to be decided
Committee chairmen: Yet to be decided
Councillor: $55,318
Community board chairmen (population based): $14,210 - $18,270
Board members: $7105-$9135
