Six weeks after the rescission of a controversial resolution aimed at prohibiting the proliferation of election posters across the shire - a move supported by its supporters due to the potential of incurring substantial costs as a result of a Supreme Court challenge - two related motions were deferred at the final meeting of the outgoing council until mid-2006.

The decision taken at the Civic Centre followed the original deferment on February 11 of the two contrasting motions until all 11 current councillors were present.

Cr Peter Reynolds was the first to withdraw his motion - with the consent of seconder Cr Larry Whipper - for general manager David McGowan to be authorised to enforce existing laws in relation to signage and launch legal action against those who persistently breached the policies.

He said there was no purpose in pushing the issue a few days out from Saturday's election, though reiterated his previous stance: "As it currently stands it is illegal to put up signs on private property."

It was Mayor Phil Yeo, however, who moved that the matter be left to lie on the table until the second meeting of July 2006.

"It's two years out from the next Local Government election and it will probably take that long to resolve the problem," he said.

Cr Duncan Gair followed Cr Reynolds' lead, withdrawing his motion that sought to allow candidates to erect campaign posters after lodging a $300 refundable bond on condition that they were not put up more than five weeks before an election and were removed within 48 hours of the poll.

"It's a dead issue now," said Cr Gair.

"It's been a great waste of senior staff's time, though I suppose it did serve a purpose - it did raise the spectre of the local election."

As per Cr Reynolds' motion, it was resolved that the matter be left to lie on the table until the second meeting of July 2006.