The budget includes the transfer of $120,000 in creek cleaning, roadside weed spraying and bushland track and safety fence maintenance from the Infrastructure Renewal Strategy (IRS) the environmental levy program, despite objections in 13 of the 15 public submissions received on the budget.

An attempt by environment committee chairman Cr Larry Whipper to return $40,000 in funding for maintenance of bush tracks from the environmental levy was defeated.

Cr Whipper proposed as a compromise that the creek cleaning and weed spraying programs be modified to fit in with the guidelines of the environmental levy, but said that maintaining walking tracks and safety fencing could not be considered an environmental program.

"We may have to close walking tracks if the funding does not come forward but the perspective of the Environment Committee is that people should be kept out of bush in some circumstances," he said.

However, Cr Duncan Gair noted that the environmental levy had received a total of $2.4 million over four years and council had asked for a small percentage for very vital projects.

Following the meeting, Cr Whipper said council's actions would raise questions in the mind of environmental groups and volunteers in the community.

"I feel that this decision by council may indicate that the integrity of the environment levy is for the first time under threat," he said.

Financial services manager Doug Neville described the budget as "very tight".