Auckland Council has voted in favour of introducing cost-saving measures when it comes to travel expenditure.

At a confidential meeting yesterday, councillors agreed to slash the travel budget by $600,000 next year.

Performance objectives were formally agreed to by councillors to cut the travel budget by up to 30 percent.

The move follows anger after the council revealed it spent around half a million dollars on business class flights in the 20 months to August.

Councillor Efeso Collins put forward a motion to debate the subject, but it was rejected.

He's happy about the decision to tighten the reins, but said they still need to address the problems surrounding business class air fares.

He said based on the feedback he's received in the past month, "I don't believe Aucklanders want us to be sipping champagne and crying out to them to save money, and having to increase rates."