Toowoomba Regional Council's motto is "Rich traditions, bold ambitions" — and it has boldly created a new tradition in choosing its deputy mayor.

For years, the southern Queensland council had a simple way of filling the position after an election by awarding it to the councillor with the most votes.

At last month's poll, first-time councillor Rebecca Vonhoff topped the results with 51,167 votes.

But at the new council's inaugural meeting — the first it has streamed online — a decision was made for councillors to vote for the position, a first in its amalgamated history.

Geoff McDonald won the deputy mayor vote 6-5. ( Facebook: Geoff McDonald )

During the long and sometimes heated meeting, Councillor Bill Cahill said the decision to change the process could hurt its reputation.

"We need to show respect to the person in the public's view, and there's no other way to put it, the favourite, be elected as deputy mayor," he said.

"I think it's disrespectful and sends a bad message right from the start from this council to our community.

"I say we honour our tried and proven process."

Fellow first-term councillor Melissa Taylor brought forward a motion around the length of the deputy mayor's term, and questioned her colleagues' experience with internal and external stakeholders.

"We aren't here to mentor a deputy mayor," she said.

"Someone who has been in the role for a week on council doesn't have those intimate relationships."

Long-standing councillor Geoff McDonald won the vote 6-5 to serve as deputy to Paul Antonio.

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Cr McDonald said he did not think the controversy would hurt council.

"There's reasons both for and against these types of motions," he said.

"At the forefront of every decision made at council is the impact on the community.

"The decision was made for me to be the deputy mayor, and I'll do my very best."

Following the debate, Cr Vonhoff was put in charge of council's water and waste portfolio.

She said she was disappointed with the change in process but was keen to get on with the job at hand.

"I accept their decision, this is democracy," she said.

"Council has decided to set a new precedent and tomorrow's a new day.

"I'm going home to my family tonight, probably have a glass of wine, and then we've got a lot of work to do."