The Gold Coast Mayor says executive bonuses will be scrapped and a number of council staff will be offered voluntary redundancies in a bid to prune costs.

Tom Tate says the measures should save ratepayers a couple of million dollars a year.

He says permanent front-line positions are safe but the the bonuses paid to council's 140 executives will go.

"I'd like to make a system that maybe they get a little bit more pay but no need for a bonus," he said.

"There's going to be negotiations there.

"I don't like the idea that you need a bonus to motivate people to do the best outcome for our city.

"I think the bonus is that they have the privilege and the opportunity to work for the council - they are actually working for the city and the people of the Gold Coast."