Releasing a press statement on the eve of MidCoast Council's April monthly ordinary meeting to debate the relocation and centralisation of council services to Taree, the group questioned source data.

However, the findings confirm one very important element which many informed members of the community have been asserting for months, which is that the centralisation proposal will cost at least $40 million dollars, and will place council into generational debt, spokesperson Katrina Pearson said.

"During the so-called community consultation last year, the public were told by council executives that the all up project cost would be $29 million.

"Prior to that, the assertion was that the project would cost $20 million.

"The Balmoral report now confirms what the community has been asserting for many months which is that the cost will be at least $40 million and this is even before precise architectural drawings have even been drawn up; and as we all now know, rarely do major government projects come in on time and to budget."

Ms Pearson maintained studies had shown that decentralised work-place models worked effectively as they provided more flexibility.

"There was far less bureaucracy as decisions can be made immediately and at a local level."

Councillor Peter Epov, who opposed the move, said he had argued for an independent review of the centralisation proposal at the February monthly meeting.

"Unfortunately this was ignored," Mr Epov said.

"Prior to the Balmoral study being commissioned, councillors were not invited to participate in developing the Terms of Reference for this new study nor in developing the Scope of the Study," he said.

"The real question now, is not which option is better, but rather, should we be actually pursuing either option at all, at this time, as both are entirely unrealistic.

"Whilst I acknowledge some rationalisation is required to create efficiencies it has to be cost effective, realistic and fit into community expectations."

Mr Epov proposed that the Balmoral report be placed on public exhibition 

"Council categorically stated to the community during the community consultation process in 2018 that centralisation would cost $29 million.

"Now it has been formally recognised by their chosen consultant Balmoral to be $39.3 Million, this is a significant material difference, a 30 per cent increase and in the interest of public trust and confidence we cannot continue forward without proper and further community consultation and public support for this project."

Ms Pearson said she was expecting a large crowd to register their protest before the start of tomorrow's, April 10 meeting which began at 2pm.