Hilltops Council voted to endorse funding allocation as a part of the Rye Park Wind Farm Voluntary Planning Agreement, however, Deputy Mayor Tony Flanery questioned funding allocated to the Rye Park Rural Fire Service for a 4WD vehicle.

Cr Flanery questioned if the guidelines for applicants was changed to allow the funding of $83,499 to the Rye Park RFS to purchase a purpose built 4WD dual-cab ute, believing that the item should be funded by the State Government.

"Would you consider it normal or usual for a Voluntary Planning Agreement to fund a Rural Fire Service vehicle? I would have thought that's a state government funding purpose," Cr Flanery said.

Councillor representative to the committee Cr James Blackwell spoke to the reasons the committee selected the RFS.

"This came to the committee, the reason the RFS requested the funds was because they were deemed not eligible by the RFS to get a truck," Cr Blackwell said.

"They've been using their own vehicles to fight fires at the moment for the last couple of years, which is also against protocol from what I understand, so they requested it from the Wind Farm.

"The Wind Farm had also agreed if the truck was to be funded, the Wind Farm, separately from this fund would pay for 10 years of maintenance and operations of the vehicle in addition to the cost, so that seemed to be a reasonable value for money in that we are getting an extra amount of money out of the wind farm and given the fact that the residents of Rye Park were using their own vehicles for the RFS, it was deemed to be somewhat essential."

Cr Flanery said that RFS volunteers all use their own vehicles to fight fires and sought clarification that the vehicle would be used for the purpose.

Cr Blackwell replied that the application stated the vehicle would be fitted out for that purpose.

"Were the guidelines amended to allow local volunteer fire brigade unit to become eligible?" Cr Flanery asked.

Cr Blackwell said the Wind Farm representative at the committee expressed in their opinion there was nothing in the VPA that would prohibit it.

"The question was, were the guidelines amended?" Cr Flanery asked again.

"I think the fact that they have a vehicle available I think is good, it concerns me when we're funding initiatives that the state and federal government should be funding when the Voluntary Planning Agreement is going to the extent to have to fund rural fire units.

"I think it's regretable, I could use stronger words but, I don't support it."

Mayor Brian Ingram echoed Cr Flanery's comments.

Cr Blackwell said when they had the meeting in September the changes or amendments were in the document, however, he doesn't know when the changes were made.

Cr Fiona Douglas also questioned why the Rye Park Progress Association was receiving funding for speed display signs.

"Is Transport NSW or Council, shouldn't they be paying for speed display signs?"

Cr Blackwell said that he believes so.

Transport for NSW is responsible for providing and installing the speed limit signage.

"Although, the application was from the Progress Association because they were there was no funding available," he said.

Several Councillors showed disbelief at the comment with Cr Blackwell reiteraiting that was what the application stated.

"That must be frustrating for everybody," Mayor Ingram said.

"Truly they were told there was no funding available for these signs?

"And people have to go to Voluntary Planning Agreement is an absolute shadow over."

Mayor Ingram said he would personally follow that matter up and said that according to the guidelines for applicants the funding would be ineligible as it is under the responsibility of the state government.