The controversial policy received a backlash from the public after The Star revealed city councillors would determine themselves whether to adopt the policy.
It allows subsidies of $6000 a year per child.
However, councillors agreed with a city council staff recommendation the policy only apply to community board members.
City councillors are paid $102,400 a year, compared to community board members whose remuneration is between $9864 and $24,580.
The childcare policy was set out by the Remuneration Authority in July. Every local authority in New Zealand gets the chance to adopt it or not.
Yani Johanson, James Gough and Aaron Keown were the only city councillors to vote against community board members receiving the childcare reimbursement.
Cr Johanson questioned the timing of adopting the policy. “Nominations [for council and community board candidates] have closed, it is actually not going to have any impact on the current number of candidates standing. I think if we were going to make this choice as part of this policy it should have been before nominations closed,” he said.
Cr Gough also questioned the timing of the decision.
“I would rather the new council makes this decision,” he said.
Under the policy, community board members are only eligible to an allowance if their child is under 14, they are the primary caregiver and the childcare is not provided by a family member.
City councillor Sara Templeton urged her fellow councillors to vote in favour of the policy in an attempt to get more diversity around the council table and younger people with families involved.
“The median age of the population is 38 but only six per cent are under 40 when it comes to elected members and part of that is to do with the barriers in the way,” she said.
Deputy Mayor Andrew Turner said he supported the policy for community board members but not councillors.
