Two years on, Labor's Declan Clausen has become the youngest person to be named the city’s deputy lord mayor.

Cr Clausen beat independent councillor Andrea Rufo for the position, seven votes to four, on Tuesday evening, during the first meeting of the new council after the September 9 election.

He said he was excited to have landed the role, which showed that his fellow councillors supported the work he had been doing with Newcastle’s Smart City strategy, environment and sustainability measures and issues in his ward.

“Hopefully this recognises that work and gives me the opportunity to continue to do some positive things for the city,” Cr Clausen said.

At 22-years-old, he was the youngest candidate ever elected to Newcastle City Council when he won a by-election for ward three in February, 2015.

Cr Clausen said he viewed the job of deputy as being a support to lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes – who is also a Labor colleague.

"I can't imagine there have been many other examples of a Labor council and a conservative state government working so well together on so many projects with a common interest,” he said. “That's pretty time consuming and she needs a hand with all the other things that exist for a city the size of Newcastle. 

“So being deputy lord mayor means I can support her, to free her up to ensure that she's got time to spend on those really key strategic decisions for the city."

The next vote for deputy lord mayor will take place in September, 2018.