Federation councillors have hit back at community criticism of the municipality's planning department, with one saying "keyboard warriors" should direct their barbs to the NSW government "because we just get this poo sandwich dumped in our lap".
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The Globe Hotel development has spotlighted ongoing resourcing problems with the council's planning department and spurred flak from the public.
"The staff are at wit's end, we can't get emails returned, we can't get phone calls returned," Cr Whitechurch said.
"We cop it in the supermarket, the street, the hotel, the football ground, we cop it everywhere.
"It's not their fault.
"We had a professor...tell us in one of his 77 recommendations that we haven't got enough staff, employ someone now."
However, despite Cr Whitechurch's call and councillor David Longley urging the employment of more planning staff, there will not be an immediate recruitment drive.
A report will be provided to the March council meeting on options, with council general manager Adrian Butler saying there needed to be a service review completed and the state government needed to see ad hoc decisions were not being made.
Councillor Gail Law said the planning department was "being shot down in flames and it's just not fair and it's just not right".
Councillor David Fahey said the red tape was a result of decisions made in Macquarie Street which had to be upheld by the council.
"All the keyboard warriors need to pull their head back in and....before you throw the mud know where you're supposed to be throwing at," Cr Fahey said.
"If you don't like the system....write to your local member and get him to change it, write to the planning minister....write to the premier....because it's not our fault, we just get this poo sandwich dumped in our lap and we've got to deal with it."
Alluding to meetings between Cr Bourke, Cr Whitechurch and Mr Casey, planning director Susan Appleyard made an appeal.
"I would request that before you meet with a developer, you either have a staff member with you or you contact us to make sure that the information that they're providing you is accurate, because it has great frustration not only for the staff but for their families as well," Ms Appleyard said.
Councillor Aaron Nicholls asked why councillors were meeting with developers without consulting with staff, prompting a strong defence from Cr Bourke.
"I've been voted on to council to represent the people, I'm not here to rub everyone's back, I'm going to go and support the community and all their wishes and needs," Cr Bourke said.
"(Mr Casey) was told there's an operational side to council, there's a councillor side.
"I will go and speak to any of the public that I wish to speak to, or who ask me to speak....as long as it's not...decision-making or it's going to influence an outcome, otherwise I will have to declare an interest."
Cr Bourke said "we haven't slagged council" and there's two sides to every story.
"My job is to bring it together," he said.
