But it appears likely Tamworth Regional Council will be seeing a lot more of the irrigation industry after it voted in favour of taking 100 per cent of its high security water allocation from Chaffey Dam, despite impassioned opposition from the farming sector.

Mr Bridgen vowed the Peel Valley Water Users would fight the decision.

READ MORE:

He argued council was only using a small portion of its current 70 per cent allocation from Chaffey.

“We don’t argue we need water before others, but we do need to preserve industry in this valley and the dam was built for everyone to share and profit from,” he said.

“What council is trying to do is a monopoly.”

He said the water users would “pursue every resource” to fight the decision and said the water sharing change could spell a bleak future for the dairy and irrigation industry.

“We’ve taken a beating already, we don’t need other belting around the head,” he said.

Barry John, brother of late mayor David, said the decision was “utterly inappropriate and thoroughly irresponsible” and it lacked support from senior state and federal government staff at a recent stakeholder meeting.

Council voted unanimously in favour of the motion and Glenn Inglis said it was a textbook example of councillors needing to represent the collective interest of all residents and ratepayers.

Depsite council’s backing, Cr Inglis said the new plan, might not even be opeartive until mid-2020.

Juanita Wilson said council was lumped with a decsion at the pointy end of a “flawed system”.

“As a council, we’re responsible for all water users including current and future industry and business,” she said.

“We can’t expect future development unless we plan for it now and water is crucial for us.”