Councillor Bradley Widders' motion for 10am, mixed meetings at Armidale and Guyra was taken up by Cr Deb O'Brien, who wanted the meeting times kept at 4pm which she thought were more accessible to the public.

"The whole point of a council meeting is that it's a public meeting,' she said.

"Most people work from nine to five workers. This is a really strong signal of sidelining the public.

"It is very important to encourage the community to engage with council business, to participate in council business because that's what we're here for."

While Crs Jonathan Galletly and Peter Bailey wanted an amendment to the original motion to see 4pm meetings all held at Armidale, Cr Margaret O'Connor wanted the matters to be voted on separately.

"We've been three and a half years since the merger of Guyra and Armidale started. The administrator thought it was a good idea to share meeting ... to get the ball rolling," Cr Galletly said.

"With staff and Councillors, there are 20-odd people who have to commute to Guyra which is half-an-hour up and half-an-hour back. So I think it would be a lot safer driving down here to hold the meeting.

"The cost to council of having to set up our streaming and whatever ... all your travel time ... I just think it is time for us to move on and be as one. We're keeping Guyra as an 'us' and 'them' situation by going up there.

Cr Bailey said other councils had remote location but did not rotate their meetings.

"At the end of the day 85 per cent of the council lives in Armidale. People can travel here for the meetings," he said.

"And if they want to make a representation then I am sure one of us would be able to go to Guyra and meet with someone who had a concern."

Cr Diane Gray spoke against the motion, saying the changes encouraged division and disrespected the Guyra community.

Cr Dorothy Robinson wanted people to be encouraged to use technology to watch council meetings.

Council resolved to hold mixed meetings in Armidale and Guyra at 4pm. In other words nothing changed.