Councillors and senior managers yesterday began a two-day strategic workshop focusing on the council's future direction, policy issues and organisational improvements.

The Coochiemudlo workshop was almost called off after last week's report in The Redland Times which quoted Division 4 Councillor Peter Dowling criticising the event and Division 9 Councillor Karen Williams stating she would only attend the first day and would pay her own way.

Many councillors who were also paying their own costs were angered at the implication Cr Williams was the only one offering to do so.

Mayor Melva Hobson called councillors to a meeting on Monday morning to discuss whether the event should go ahead. The meeting was organised after a plan was floated in senior council circles to hold the strategic workshop in Cleveland instead of Coochie. It is understood chief executive officer Gary Stevenson stressed it was important for all councillors to attend the entire workshop.

At least two councillors - Crs Williams and Dowling - had said they would not attend the Friday discussions because of school graduation commitments. However the Coochiemudlo Island workshop went ahead as planned.

Cr Hobson said in a press release this week the workshop would allow the council to address many issues. Such events were "common practice" for local governments, she said.

The council would deal with strategic and policy matters, discuss significant points of contention, develop a consensus on elected member and CEO roles, review corporate structure and resource allocation, review council decision-making and advocacy systems, review community engagement expectations and strengthen relationships and teamwork.

“A large part of our responsibility as elected members is to have a strategic approach to how we make our decisions, and ensure we are serving our community in the most effective and efficient way," Cr Hobson said.