Wellington Mayor Justin Lester wil donate his $60,000 mayoral car allowance to the city arts portfolio budget.

Justin Lester has donated his $60,000 Wellington mayoral car budget to the arts.

The new mayor has decided to give the cash, provided by Wellington City Council for the role, to the city arts portfolio budget to help up-and-coming artists.

The arts budget funds a range of things including community arts and events, music concerts, art exhibitions, plays and cultural festivals.

ROSS GIBLIN/FAIRFAX NZ City councillor Andy Foster will give his $60,000 director's fees from his Wellington International Airport board position to the council's smart energy capital fund.

"I don't need it," Lester said of his car allowance.

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"We have said we will be a prudent council and these are savings we can make either by redirecting money to projects that directly benefit Wellingtonians or by forgoing payments that fit within the role of being a councillor.

"We'll take every decision on spending, and saving, on a case-by-case basis.

"Is this in the best interests of Wellington? If it is, we'll do it, and if it isn't we won't."

It took him about 20 to 30 minutes to drive from his home in Johnsonville to the council offices in Wellington CBD, or he could run it in about an hour, he said.

"If I've got to work early or late, I've got access to the council car pool."

Like his predecessor, Celia Wade-Brown, he's also into a bit of biking.

Wade-Brown once opted to forgo the use of a $70,000 mayoral Audi, instead spending $2000 of her own money on an electric bike.

On a similar note, councillor Andy Foster is giving his $60,000 director's fees from his Wellington International Airport board position to the council's smart energy capital fund.

The fund supports various initiatives including the promotion of car sharing, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and the reduction of the council's emissions.

Councillors sitting on council-controlled organisation boards have also agreed not to be paid a fee for their board positions.