The move exposed a huge split in council, which will be publicly aired at its extraordinary meeting at 9am on Friday.

Those councillors moving against Cr Murray have not given any indication of who they expect the next mayor to be.

And the mayor said he had not been given written formal notification of why the councillors wanted to oust him.

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"I had a petition that two councillors brought to me a week before they requested an extraordinary meeting, and there was nothing in that petition. They just want me to step down.

"But they, verbatim, gave me reasons why they thought I should step down. There is nothing written."

Cr Murray said he wrote down about 20 points afterwards and considered there was nothing substantial.

"There were comments like, the deputy mayor was getting too much media attention, comments like the CEO ran these two business symposiums last year that didn't go to council, which are clearly in our Economic Development Strategy and in our Operating Plan," he said.

"What I am saying is, there was nothing to say I am doing my job, but I do think some councillors want to have a say in things that are operational.

"For example, the CEO running the symposiums, she was given the authority when we adopted the operational plan. It's already been done, so they shouldn't then be trying to influence it."

One of the seven councillors, Cr Debra O'Brien, told The Armidale Express that Cr Margaret O'Connor was the spokesperson for the group opposing the mayor. She denied Cr O'Connor was leading the charge to get Cr Murray to step down.

"None of the rest of us have anything different from what Margaret has to say, really," she said.

The other five councillors in the group are Ian Tiley, Peter Bailey, Jon Galletly, Dorothy Robinson and Andrew Murat.

Cr O'Connor confirmed she was one of the signatories, but said she did not want the mayor's position.

While she had little to say to The Express, she said the group of councillors had concerns.

"It is what it is. It is a no confidence motion," she said.

"I don't think it's a good thing. The mayor, I'm sure, has done his very best. There's no blame involved in this; there is just a group of councillors who wish to move forward.

"I'm not saying the mayor is not taking the council forward at the moment. I just think; democracy has to; this is an option under our Act and Code of Meeting Practice, and we've decided to move in this direction."

Cr O'Connor said the move was not taken lightly, and the concerns of the whole community was the first and foremost consideration.

Cr Peter Bailey was contacted, but said he preferred not to comment until Friday's meeting. Cr Ian Tiley's mobile phone was turned off.

Meanwhile, local businessman John Cassidy emailed a statement to the media on Tuesday, which said the business community not only wanted, but needed, a council to work coherently as one.

"We cannot accept obfuscation at council meetings," he said.

"Those councillors will not be re-elected.

"The council must have stability in leadership, it must work together to create long overdue unity to resolve the many outstanding issues and put Armidale and the surrounding region back on the map."

He said it must also give full support to Susan Law, the most experienced CEO council has had in recent times.

"The business community recognises Mayor Murray's strong commitment and drive to put aside personal ambitions to develop the region as a whole," he said.

Mrs Law said it was very important for staff to have continuity and adhesion at the governing body level of the council and the council organisation.

"While I will work with whoever is mayor, because that is crucially important, the commitment and motivation of staff depends upon the unity of purpose that comes from a council," she said.

"And it is the staff who are out there in 37 degree heat sealing roads; it is the staff who come in at Christmas to ensure that the pumps are working at the Malpas Dam, and people have water coming out of their taps."