Since the city's councillors were sacked and replaced by three administrators in the wake of the Independent Commission Against Corruption hearings into the council, no council meeting has passed the one-hour mark.

The longest meeting was 56 minutes in April 2008.

The shortest meeting went for nine minutes in March this year, while 11 of the 28 meetings since March 2008 lasted less than 20 minutes. The average meeting takes just 28 minutes.

By comparison, councillors spent more than 40 hours at ordinary and extraordinary council meetings in the final 12 months before they were dismissed. The average ordinary meeting was just under 3? hours, and the longest meeting more than six hours.

Former independent councillors Alice Cartan and Carolyn Griffiths agreed their meetings went longer than necessary, but said extra time was needed to engage the community.

"I think there has to be adequate debate for people to understand all the issues," Ms Cartan said.

Ms Griffiths said while debate was worthwhile, the meetings were delayed by "a lot of politicking".

Former lord mayor Alex Darling said administrators' meetings were held to "rubber stamp their original thought".

While the administrators spend less time in the city, they also save ratepayers about $120,000 a year.

Each administrator will receive an annual salary of $85,280 during 2009-10, costing ratepayers $251,960 for the year.

By comparison, 12 councillors and a lord mayor would cost ratepayers up to $370,000 for the year.

Gabrielle Kibble pocketed a salary of $152,233 during her 21 months as an administrator.

A council spokeswoman noted that the meetings were only one part of the administrators' role and the trio - Robert McGregor, Col Gellatly and Richard Colley - spent as much time on council business as necessary.

But City Diggers general manager and vocal parking meter critic Phil Ryan said: "How can they run a city with meetings that only last 10 minutes?"