The shock call, approved on the casting vote of mayor Kevin Mack, came after council approved the existing structure of Mr Zaknich and four directors – Michael Keys, Brad Ferris, James Jenkins and Tracey Squire – remain in place until 2021.

It was also backed by deputy mayor Amanda Cohn, Cr John Stuchbery and Cr Murray King, but opposed vehemently by Cr Henk van de Ven, Cr Alice Glachan, Cr Graham Docksey and Cr David Thurley.

Cr Darren Cameron was an apology from the meeting.

Cr van de Ven described the move as a “disgrace” and feared it could have a de-stabilising impact.

He said it was also unnecessary as regular performance reviews returned “above average” ratings.

“Everybody knows a report by an independent consultancy will come up with whatever answer you want it to come up with,” Cr van de Ven said.

“This is by far the most outrageous waste of money which has ever been proposed in the time I've been on council.

“This is a disgrace.”

Cr Stuchbery, who instigated the move with the backing of Cr Cohn, disagreed with Cr van de Ven.

“The purpose of moving this amendment was so someone from the outside, whose vision is not clouded by having to deal with the people he has to work with each day, can look at the structure and give us advice,” Cr Stuchbery said.

“We don't have to take the advice, but we can look at it and cherry pick what looks good from it.”

Cr Mack said it shouldn't be interpreted as an “indictment” on the general manager.

“It's up to us as the board of directors and to our shareholders the ratepayers to deliver an impartial and transparent service to our community,” he said.

Councillors will decide the terms of reference and the review will be completed before March next year.

Mr Zaknich joined Albury Council in 2013 from Broken Hill and had his contract extended by a further three years in late 2015.

The council reduced its number of directors from four to five when former finance director Judy Charlton took up a general manager post at Narrandera in 2014.

The directors agreed to a council request to move from award conditions to senior staff contracts.

The total senior staff wage bill is $1.36 million which is less than Wagga's $1.69 million with a general manager and five directors.

Upon his arrival at Albury, Mr Zaknich introduced a performance and efficiency review which, according to the recent budget papers, was on track to achieve savings of $3.1 million by 2018-19.

The most recent hint of tension between some councillors and senior staff came with the revelation a riverside development behind Albury Swim Centre was back on the agenda.

It has been included in an expression of interest for a newly created $100 million NSW Government funding pool.

Cr Docksey was also opposed to the external review.

“I see no purpose in having a consultant come in and like an auditor they will always look for a fault and we could end up with a three-hump camel from this,” he said.

“And a three-hump camel doesn't serve the community very well.”

Cr Cohn said: “It's hard to make macro level decisions when the directors are people you work with every day.

“I'm surprised some councillors baulk at making a decision about an alcohol-free zone at Monument Hill without further information, but are willing to sign off on the structure of the whole organisation for the next four years without extra information.”