The blow-up occurred over community feedback on council’s delivery program and operational plan.

Last year, only 10 people attended three meetings held to discuss the operational plan, leaving councillors wondering how to encourage more community participation.

Cr Findley called for community members to be invited to workshops in an enhanced consultation process.

She suggested a focused workshop of invited and interested people be held during the delivery program and operational plan’s development, including an opportunity for people in the southern Shoalhaven to have a say, and for the plan to be put on exhibition so people could make submissions.

Cr Ward suggested there were ulterior motives behind Cr Findley’s motion, claiming it was about “bringing in a group of friends to carve up the budget”.

He said the move was designed to allow a select group to “try to control the purse strings of the city”.

“I don’t believe it’s right for a group of people to take control of the process to the exclusion of the rest of the city,” he said.

When Cr Findley objected, Cr Ward referred to her as “shrieking from my right”. Cr Findley said she had been insulted and stormed out.

Earlier in the debate Cr Findley said people needed to feel their comments and concerns actually mattered.

“We need to inspire people to get them out of their homes,” she said.

She was supported by Cr Andrew Guile, who said last year’s process “was a dog’s breakfast as far as consultation went”.

“We need to suck this and see,” Cr Guile added.

Cr John Fergusson agreed, saying following the same process as last year and expecting a different result was “absolute stupidity”.

Other councillors feared there was insufficient time to set up and run a more detailed community consultation process.

Instead, they will follow a similar process to last year’s, with community information sessions in the north, central and southern Shoalhaven, and council issuing invitations to key community groups, including business chambers or community consultative boards, in an effort to get greater attendance.

A presentation on the delivery program and operational plan will also be given at the March meeting of community consultative bodies.

Cr Gary Kearney questioned why people were making such a fuss.

“I don’t know why we’re going through this exercise,” he said.

“If people don’t want to come they won’t, regardless of how much we advertise or what invitations we send out.”