A report released in June revealed the facility cost an average of $214,970 per year to run and visitation had dropped by 6 per cent between 2012 and 2014.

Options to scale back or co-locate with Burke Museum had been placed on the table, but ultimately rejected at Tuesday’s council meeting. 

Councillors passed a recommendation which would keep the visitor information centre open 364 days per year, create a new three-year tourism strategy and provide digital help for accommodation providers struggling with the new booking system and website.

The booking system had been a source of conflict between council management and accommodation providers, resulting in heated meetings over the past year.

The council report resolved to provide training on how to use the system and also find out why there was a lack of bookings through the official www.explorebeechworth.com.au page.

Officers contacted 113 Beechworth businesses before finalising the report.

Cr Bernard Gaffney said it was a positive outcome.

“I’m really pleased that council has listened to the community and has acted,” he said.

“This was all the accommodation providers wanted, consultation and consideration.”

Cr Jenny O’Connor also hit back at a letter to the editor in Saturday’s The Border Mail, making a statement about what she called an “unsubstantiated attack on my character, my actions and my performance as an elected councillor”.

The letter, from Sheila and John Rademan, related to an email to chief executive Gerry Smith questioning if Cr O’Connor used her position for the Greens’ political purposes during last month’s Beechworth homestay weekend for visiting refugees.

She has strongly denied any wrongdoing.

“This is a serious allegation and, if it was correct, I would be contravening both the Local Government Act and electoral laws,” Cr O’Connor said.