Councillor Garry Turland requested suspension of standing orders at Wednesday night’s council meeting to debate a “matter of urgency”.

Cr Turland said the time was now for council to make a decision and back the petition that Goulburn MP Pru Goward would debate in parliament on Thursday.

He called on his fellow councillors and said he hoped for unanimous support. “Maybe the state government might take on buying back this mine as they did in north NSW. That’s the matter of urgency,” he said.

Despite Cr Duncan Gair expressing support of the motion as a seconder, Mayor Whipper’s intervention meant the motion didn’t progress.

"It’s the chair’s prerogative to decide whether or not it is a matter of urgency and, given this is the last meeting of council, I don’t know that we can bind future councillors [to a decision],” Mayor Whipper said.

To the shock of some councillors, the mayor declared he did not consider the issue a matter of urgency and said the discussion would not progress.

Cr Gair announced he would question the chair on the decision, while Cr Turland continued to argue.

“We’re not arguing, I’m making a ruling from the chair that I don’t see it as a matter of urgency,” Mayor Whipper said.

The councillors’ disagreement was to no avail, as code of meeting practices prevented them from overruling the chair.

In what may have been her last meeting as a councillor, Holly Campbell voiced her disappointment with the mayor.

“You are the councillor who keeps on saying you’re the one leading the coal charge yet you don’t want to put up a motion ... that sends a message to the state government,” she said.

Facing much opposition, the mayor eventually stood to demand order in the chamber and told Cr Campbell he would stop the meeting for 15 minutes if she did not sit down.

Cr Campbell said she would resume her seat under protest.

Mayor Whipper reiterated his stance that he did not consider the issue a matter of urgency.

He then moved on to the next agenda item.