Whitehaven CEO Paul Flynn earns more in a year than company's 25-year offer to Boggabri, councillor says

Narrabri Shire Council has been in negotiations with the mining company about a voluntary planning agreement (VPA), which aims to offset the financial burden the mine will have on council's infrastructure and communities.

Whitehaven has offered council a lump sum of $2.17 million, or about $108,000 for each year the mine operates.

However, at an extraordinary meeting in Boggabri on Thursday, councillors voted to reject the offer and propose a counter offer of $14.87 million.

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Narrabri mayor Cathy Redding was unavailable for comment, however councillor Ron Campey said Whitehaven's offer was "arrogant, offensive and shows contempt to the people of Boggabri".

"If Google is correct, [Whitehaven CEO] Paul Flynn's wages per year are in excess of the total VPA offered," Cr Campey said.

"I find it disappointing that we have to even deal with this rubbish that they are offering us."

A Whitehaven spokesperson said the company was waiting to receive a formal notification or counter offer from council.

"We certainly consider the offer to be generous by industry standards," the spokesperson said.

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Boggabri farmer David Watt spoke at the meeting and called Whitehaven's offer "an insult to Boggabri".

"This is very much indicative of the way Whitehaven operates," Mr Watt said.

"We are fed up and we are tired of Whitehaven imposing its cost onto the community. We are not going to subsidise this mine for them.

"Council has absolutely made the right step."

Council also took issue with the 70/30 VPA ratio split between Gunnedah Shire Council and Narrabri council.

"What is clear is that the 30/70 split in VPA contributions between the Narrabri Shire and Gunnedah Shire is not evidence based (being based on the proportion of the project within the respective LGAs)," council documents stated.

"It does not recognise the socioeconomic impacts in, and immediately around, Boggabri."

The Whitehaven spokesperson said the 70/30 split is consistent with the VPA for the approved Vickery project. The company would not reveal the details of its VPA with Gunnedah council, other than to say it was close to agreeing terms and expected an announcement shortly.