“Our inquiries suggest there is interest in that community joining a Glen Innes-based council rather than an Armidale-based council,” Cr Price said.

The mayor’s suggested move was met with a wave of jeers and hissing from the Guyra audience, who were outwardly against the idea.

Armidale Dumaresq mayor Herman Beyersdorf said he was unsure whether it was the right place for Cr Price to suggest the move.

“He’s absolutely right to bring it up,” Cr Beyersdorf said.

“Whether it was wise to bring it up at this particular meeting, I don’t know.”

Cr Beyersdorf told The Leader Armidale Dumaresq’s draft proposals looked at where the community of interest was for smaller towns and villages near council boundaries.

“Having said that, in our draft proposals we also mentioned the possibility of either taking land or transferring land. And we do talk about, not about Ben Lomond, but we talk about Tingha, which we think, from our distant perspective, has a greater community of interest with Inverell,” he said.

“We also talk about Lower Creek, which is currently in Armidale Dumaresq going down to Kempsey, which it has more in common with.

“And, maybe more controversially, we think Invergowrie, in particular, is an absolute no-brainer for having a community of interest with Armidale Dumaresq.”

Despite being a part of Uralla shire, Cr Beyersdorf said “it’s closer to Armidale – everybody virtually works in Armidale, their kids go to school in Armidale”.

“It’s a no-brainer, but predictably perhaps it’s also met with hostile receptions,” he said.

“Those boundary changes, whether it’s Col Price’s idea or not, they’ll probably take it on notice.”