Cr Troy said yesterday that the thought of Mr Hickey retaining the seat for another four years was more than he could bear and said the people of the electorate deserved better.

"I want to be the people's representative in parliament, not the parliament's representative to the people," Cr Troy said.

"The people of Cessnock deserve better than the ALP soap opera they are getting at the moment."

Cr Troy said he had a number of approaches from people asking him if he would stand.

"I know I have the support base there so I think I'd have a pretty good chance of taking Cessnock to an independent seat."

Cr Troy said the Planning Minister Tony Kelly's announcement this week that he would put a planning panel in to oversee some Cessnock council decisions was the straw that broke the camel's back.

"It's issues like that where Mr Hickey should be stepping in but because there is so much animosity between him and Cessnock council he's not worried," Cr Troy said.

Mr Hickey did not want to comment on the matter yesterday.

He said other state issues such as policing, road and infrastructure funding and health needed to be addressed in Cessnock.

He said there was a dire need for a new police station and planning should be under way to expand the city's health services with large scale housing estates planned for Bellbird and Kitchener.