At council chambers on Tuesday, Opposition Leader Peter Cumming said King George Square was $28 million worth of grey, desolate, sweltering, dead space.

Cr Cumming said work already done in the square included $477,000 spent on roof maintenance and efforts to reduce the square's sweltering temperatures.

He said the latest in the list of problems was that the lighting system embedded in the square was broken beyond repair.

"The failing lights are the latest in the long list of expenses for the square that ratepayers have had to cover in just seven and a half years," Cr Cumming said.

"How much more money are ratepayers expected to fork out to fix this monumental stuff-up?"

On Tuesday council officers were spotted in the square working on the lights - removing the lighting cases and then covering the area with panels.

Councillor Shayne Sutton (Morningside) said when she asked questions about the work she was told the lights no longer worked and were being removed.

A council spokesman said several LED lights in the tiles of King George Square were being replaced as part of ongoing maintenance activities.

Cr Sutton said she didn't get the impression it was routine maintenance.

"Considering past behaviour, I do not think they [the LNP council] are being upfront and completely honest in their response to the questions asked," she said.

Cr Cumming said Labor councillors were committed to redeveloping the square to turn it from a hot box into a place where people wanted to go again.

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said the design for the square was chosen based on resident feedback, by a majority labor council cabinet.

"It was agreed to and signed off by six Labor members of civic cabinet and myself and the Lord Mayor," Cr Quirk said."

He said when grass was in the square there was trouble maintaining it and it was constantly worn down.

"There are plenty of places where we accommodate people who want to sit on the grass ... King George Square, the same way Federation Square is in Melbourne, is an event space."