ROAD maintenance and a proposed study to determine the future for vineyard tourism could be in jeopardy if Cessnock City Council decides to divert funding to a consultancy report on the future of the Hunter Economic Zone.
A council report tonight will determine the best way to allocate an estimated $50,000 for the report on the controversial industrial estate, now touted as a "white elephant".
The site is owned by the Hunter Economic Zone, which went into receivership last month.
Cessnock City Council wants independent consultants to report to determine the best use for the site, which was originally touted as an area for larger "blockbuster-style" industries.
A report to tonight's council meeting looks at two potential groups to carry out the study, Hill PDA of Sydney and GHD, an international company with a Newcastle office.
It has been estimated that the consultancy report will cost between $40,000 and $50,000 and the council is struggling with ways to fund the project in the current financial year.
The report to tonight's council meeting said there were two funding alternatives: the Vineyard Visioning project, which is tipped to start this month at a cost of $65,000, or dropping service levels such as roads.
Hill PDA has quoted a cost for the study of $54,450 and GHD $40,443.
The report said that Hill PHD is considered to be more comprehensive and would provide the council with information with which to guide its strategic position on the development of the industrial estate.
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