Newcastle’s final council meeting for 2015 has seen an attempt to reverse the sacking of the former general manager.

Ken Gouldthorp was axed from his position as general manager in October, leading three councillors - Liberal Sharon Waterhouse and independents Andrea Rufo and Allan Robinson – to put forth a motion to rescind the sacking motion.

The rescission motion was ruled out of order, leaving Mr Gouldthorp off the council.

Lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes was not surprised that there are still some within council fighting the sacking.

“At the end of the day that decision was made and it was a decision not by me, personally, it was a decision of the full council,” she said.

The council also took on a contentious new instrument of delegations to define the powers of the lord mayor and chief executive officer more strictly.

The instrument of delegations was the subject of furious debate in the wake of Mr Gouldthorp’s dismissal, with some councillors arguing it was just a power grab by the lord mayor.

But the reform still passed (with amendments) last night, with councillor Nelmes praising the move for its efficiency and productivity benefits.

Liberal councillor Brad Luke was against it.

“There are major concerns all the way through those delegations,” he said.

“Anyone who reads the documents, from what was in place before to what's in place now, knows it's a massive shift of power.”

The Newcastle Council also grappled with the leaking of confidential documents, after the Newcastle Herald reported having seen legal advice commissioned by council after Mr Gouldthorp’s dismissal.

Lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes specifically named three councillors as sources of the leak; Brad Luke, Sharon Waterhouse and Andrea Rufo.

All three deny the allegation, and the lord mayor later apologised for naming them.

Councillor Luke said it was outrageous.

“The allegation she made is extremely serious,” he said.

“She made the allegation while the chamber was full and all media was still here.

“She then made the apology after confidential session when everyone had left and the room was almost empty.”

Councillor Nelmes said the investigation into the leaks was being handled by the interim CEO Frank Cordingley.

“External IT investigations, forensic investigations...not only by councillors but also by staff, because obviously there's been a lot of misinformation, particularly in the last six weeks,” she said.