![The old levee pathway in Longford. Picture by Phillip Biggs The old levee pathway in Longford. Picture by Phillip Biggs](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/204692884/5fd92935-8484-498f-abfa-1888c506e0ba.jpg/r0_0_5000_3333_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
A Tasmanian council has blocked one of its own developments less than 24 hours before it was due to break ground.
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Northern Midlands councillors returned a split decision on a request from its Longford Local District Committee (LLDC) to halt work on the sealing of a pathway.
A gravel walking track along the old levee bank between Smith Street and Union Street was previously set to be concreted.
The council had already endorsed the works by the time of its June 24 meeting, with light bollards purchased and work to start on the following morning.
The LLDC met after Northern Midlands committed to the development and resolved that the old levee bank should not be concreted "to retain the rural ambience of Longford".
In response, the officer's recommendation to the local government bluntly stated "that council decision has already been made".
General manager Des Jennings reiterated the point during deliberations.
"If council wishes to rescind it, you'd need to actually get a report back from the general manager with regards to the status of the decision you've already adopted," he said.
"We can bring that back to council then to make a determination with regards to that section and where the funding would be spent. Because we've already started implementing council's decision."
![The Northern Midlands Council office in Longford. Picture by Paul Scambler The Northern Midlands Council office in Longford. Picture by Paul Scambler](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/204692884/994439ab-746a-401b-b97b-b07ac0efae8b.jpg/r0_0_6016_4011_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
While mayor Mary Knowles and deputy mayor Janet Lambert agreed, the other six present members of the council voted against the officer's recommendation.
Councillor Matthew Brooks said the path was beautiful the way it was.
"Why put a big concrete slab on top of that and destroy the ambience of the walk when we don't really need to?" he asked.
"It was probably an oversight when we all sat around and had a chat about it. There's still plenty of time to fix it and get it right."
![Northern Midlands Council member Richard Archer. Picture by Phillip Biggs Northern Midlands Council member Richard Archer. Picture by Phillip Biggs](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/204692884/a78316b2-20de-4040-a6d7-5143b643bf4d.jpg/r0_0_4248_2832_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Councillor Andrew McCullagh said the pathway "would be ruined" by sealing it. Councillor Richard Archer held a similar perspective.
"A natural walk is not very common. It is a nice walk, it is dry, and I think it is uneccessary to concrete that," he said.
But deputy mayor Janet Lambert said she couldn't support the delay when work was ready to start.
"At a recent meeting, we approved this and we knew what we were approving when we approved it," she said.
"I find it a little bit strange now that we are looking at rescinding that."
![Northern Midlands deputy mayor Janet Lambert. Picture by Craig George Northern Midlands deputy mayor Janet Lambert. Picture by Craig George](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/204692884/b83ceb81-fe50-4bf2-8ec2-c0b105152ba6.jpg/r0_0_3899_2599_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Ultimately, a motion raised by councillor Paul Terret to rescind the decision and bring a report back to the next council meeting passed by six votes to two.
Cr Terrett admitted this was unusual for the local government.
"But one of the reasons we have district committees is to have a bit of a voice into the community," he said.
"This is our voice from the community saying 'no'. I think we have to listen to them, we don't always get it right and sometimes we've got to acknowledge that."