Dowling and mayor at odds over grant probe

But not every councillor supported the plan.

Dungog mayor John Connors spoke against the motion, saying the council's financial statements proved it was "getting a lot of grants".

Councillor Michael Dowling moved a motion to investigate the feasibility of having a dedicated grants officer during the March 20 council meeting.

He said the idea came from the shire's reliance on grants to fund a wide range of projects.

"Over the last few years we've seen the significance of what grants can actually do for the shire," he said.

"With 70 per cent of our income reliant on grants, to ensure that the services continue across our shire we need to be on top of any kind of grants that are potentially available to our shire."

"There is no suggestion in anything that has been said that council is losing out on grants," Cr Connors replied.

"I think it's evidence from the financial statements that have been seen tonight and various works reports, it's obvious that we are getting a lot of grants."

"We're now in the position where we've got numerous people employed that once weren't, that were employed to meet the government's requirements.

"We can't keep employing people.

"The budget is very finite. We're going to be faced in the next couple of months with the budget, what is it that's going to be cut to create this position and that's the decision that you're going to have to make."

There is no deadline for the report to be completed but Cr Dowling believes it will be done in due course.

Cr Dowling understands Cr Connor's criticism and sees it as a point of discussion once the report has been finished.