Ms Fox and acting chief executive officer Alan Clark will fly out as part of a delegation of Victorian representatives for five days to promote the region’s food and wine.

The plan has been criticised because Ms Fox will finish her term in six weeks when new councillors are elected.

Chief executive Brendan McGrath said the Victorian government’s invitation was received “a very short time ago, not long ago at all” and it would subsidise up to $2000 per delegate.

Ms Fox committed to paying extra costs out of her own pocket, but the council will bear expenses for Mr Clark, whose usual job was infrastructure services director.

“In our case it won’t cost the ratepayers anything for the chair of administrators to attend,” Mr McGrath said.

“We envisage there will be a very small shortfall associated with cost for the acting CEO, travelling on this occasion as I’ll be away, and we estimate that to be in the order of about $1000 to $1500.”

He said the trip was about creating jobs and trade opportunities for Wangaratta.

Victorian Farmers Federation’s Wangaratta branch president Greg Mirabella criticised Ms Fox’s trip.

“It’s a terribly disappointing decision sending you at this point when you’re about to finish your tenure,” he said. “There are young people – entrepreneurs, farmers, winemakers – that could benefit from this.”

Administrator Rodney Roscholler said his colleague had “very high values” and was always careful to not abuse any council privileges.

“We tried everything ... to get the timing changed, six months on would have been good,” he said.

By the end of the meeting, Ms Fox was the one dishing out criticism.

Council candidate Julian Fidge submitted a question, arguing the Good Council Group, made up of prominent community members, used its influence to “guide voters away from some candidates, mostly myself”.

He asked if prominent business people should be on council advisory committees and receive public funding.

“I was quite disappointed to receive a question of this nature, some of the people mentioned are enormous contributors to this community in a voluntary capacity,” Mr Fox said.