According to council notes, infighting and the inability to reach a consensus on various issues dividing the community in Vincentia led to the recommendation to scrap the consultative body.

A majority of councillors defied a recommendation from Shoalhaven council staff, voting to retain the VRRA as a CCB.

“Councillors made it clear they want to review all CCBs first before scuttling the VRRA,” mayor Amanda Findley said.

Mayor Findley and councillors Nina Cheyne and John Levett were prepared to vote in favour of the staff recommendation, and they were outvoted at the strategy and assets committee meeting last night.

“If council’s sponsoring CCBs, even though it’s a small sum of money [$500 per year], we have an accountability to make sure they are adhering to our guidelines,” she said.