In a heated debate at this week's council meeting mayor Danielle Slade's decision not to back the recommended rate rise lead to a division within the members.

Deputy Mayor Phil Barwick asked why she would be voting against the draft budget after not opposing it in budget meetings.

"You attended all the budget meetings for six months with councillors and we massaged the budget for many, many meetings over that period of time and you agreed with, as I can understand it, you agreed with most of the capital items and expenditure throughout those meetings," Cr Barwick said.

"Then at the 11th hour you decide that you're going to vote against the budget that you have been developing and planning with council over that period of time."

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Cr Slade replied that she "was very clear that when we were picking projects, I wanted to know what the rate rise would be because that was the most important thing to me and I would definitely say no to projects" based on the rates decision.

"We were looking at everything we wanted to do without discussing a rate rise, so when we did discuss a rate rise and Cr Coghlan put the 6 per cent forward there was no clarity around why she picked 6 per cent," Cr Slade said.

Cr Kim Coghlan replied that the 6 per cent was important because: "I listened and looked at all the information (reports) that was put in front of me and I believe all the services and the major projects that we have going ahead are ones that the community need and want and that's how we came up with the 6 per cent".

The debate subsequently fell apart as councillors made accusations and counter accusations, resulting in Cr Slade recommending councillors approach the Office of the Independent Assessor (OIA) if they had any issues.

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