Tamworth Regional Council votes to fund $250,000 repairs for Jewry Street 'headcut', calls for state and federal assistance

Tamworth Regional councillor Phil Betts said if work to stabilise erosion on the side of Jewry Street isn't carried out immediately, road users could see the major thoroughfare cut in half in the next rain event.

"The economic impact on the broader community would be absolutely significant," he said.

The erosion near the Ebsworth Street roundabout, known as a headcut, has grown to be 40 metres wide with a depth of 5 metres, due to recent flooding.

Council voted at a meeting on Tuesday to allocate $250,000 towards fixing the channel and seek funding from the state and federal governments for further support.

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The works will involve reshaping the channel and installing large rocks to absorb the velocity of flood waters.

It's believed the headcut has progressed almost 70 metres up stream in the last two months.

"It travelled metres per hour at its peak," Cr Betts said at a meeting on Tuesday.

Cr Betts said it was crucial to work towards a solution as fast as possible, or council would run the risk of the erosion extending onto the Carter Street sporting fields.

Preliminary works started before council voted to allocate funds to the repairs due to concern the situation could change rapidly.

The unexpected repair will be funded from council's roadworks pot, but councillor Judy Coates said she hoped to see further support from all tiers of government.

"Hopefully the state and federal governments will acknowledge council is doing preventative work, which will require less money in the long term," she said.

"It would be good to see them come to the party and support us."

Before the meeting on Tuesday, Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson said his door was always open to council's requests.

"The weather is causing havoc damaging our road networks," he said. "I'm always on the hunt for more funding."

Councillor Marc Sutherland said he supported the mitigation efforts, but more attention should be paid to what can be done to slow the flow of the Peel River during floods.

"What other preventative measures are we planning on taking to slow down the water?" he asked fellow councillors and staff.

"What other mitigation practices might be used rather than this really acute space where urgent action is required."

Council general manager Paul Bennett said work was under way to establish more landscape-focused mitigation methods.

"Planting trees and deep-rooted grasses can be a better solution than trying to come up with bricks, mortar and concrete pipes," he said.

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