A "lack of detail" in rules governing water allocations has left Tamworth Regional Council staff "suspicious" they can be "altered" to "suit... other agendas and outcomes".
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The allegation is contained within a report set to go to council this week, detailing a meeting between council staff and Mayor Col Murray and Water Minister Melinda Pavey.
Council staff used the meeting on August 5 to lobby Minister Pavey for changes to the Peel Valley Water Sharing Plan (WSP), to boost the city's share of the water in the region's dams, among other demands.
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But the talks hit a brick wall, the report shows, with no changes accepted by the state government.
Report author and Director of Water and Waste Bruce Logan used the account of the meeting to condemn a lack of detail in the WSP, which governs how water is shared among users in the valley.
"Council does not believe the WSP contains enough detail in relation to just how this is done, in particular around the assessment of available water determinations," the report said.
"The lack of detail fosters suspicion that the process can be altered to suit circumstances or other agendas and outcomes."
Councillor Helen Tickle backed Mr Logan, saying the government had treated Tamworth residents as "second class citizens".
"There is a hidden agenda and we're not told that," she said.
"Recently a bill was put up to parliament for politicians to reveal their interests that they have in water; it got narrowly defeated.
"The state, Federal and council contributed to the augmentation of Chaffey dam and that saw a 40 per cent [increase] on what was there. What happened to all that water, who have they sold it to? Where is it?"
Councillor Mark Rodda said a failure to win more water security would undermine the council's plan to grow the city to 100,000 people by 2040.
"We've got the Blueprint 100, well we can forget those notions of increasing population and attracting businesses. Because who is going to want to come here if we cannot have the security that people can have a shower without worrying that it has to be a one-minute shower?"
The report also says there is "no appetite" within government to accept any of the changes requested by council, and "there does not appear to be any recognition of Council's issues".
It's the latest in a long-running spat between the Minister and council staff and councillors.
The report will go to Tamworth councillors on Tuesday night.
Andrew Messenger
Politics, environment and energy journalist at the Northern Daily Leader. I also write about health, bushfires and occasionally music. I'm a Brisbane boy by way of Charleville and Hobart who now lives in in beautiful New England. Get me at andrew.messenger@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Politics, environment and energy journalist at the Northern Daily Leader. I also write about health, bushfires and occasionally music. I'm a Brisbane boy by way of Charleville and Hobart who now lives in in beautiful New England. Get me at andrew.messenger@austcommunitymedia.com.au
