THE former Douglas Shire councillors and officers who prepared its final capital works budget have been labelled con artists at a fiery Cairns Regional Council meeting.

Cr Sno Bonneau made the accusation after Douglas' former acting chief executive Cr Julia Leu asked for a list of projects that had not been carried forward into the amalgamated council’s budget.

Finance boss Brett Grosser said funds had not been allocated to all of the former shire's planned projects because the Douglas council had allocated 300 per cent more funds for capital works than the previous year and the new council could not match the $13 million.

Cr Bonneau then declared that the Douglas budget was a "con job".

A shocked Cr Leu vigorously denied that was the case, saying that it had been a fully funded and balanced budget.

Cr Di Forsyth called for a point or order, saying Cr Bonneau was out of line and should withdraw the comment because it was a "slur" on the former shire's staff. "I will not withdraw it, I stand by it," Cr Bonneau said.

"Mr Grosser has made it very clear that their projected budget for capital works was three times what they normally had in previous years so it was quite clearly inflated."

Cr Bonneau conceded his words may have been inappropriate but he said he stood by their intent.

But Cr Leu said she doubted the former Douglas Shire councillors and staff who worked on the budget would rate that as an apology.

Finance chairman Alan Blake said he accepted Cr Bonneau's comments.

Councillors then voted unanimously for Cr Leu's motion to supply a list.

After the meeting Cr Bonneau told The Cairns Post the former shire's budget "was essentially a wish list".

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