The council voted on Friday to refuse an offer from the Local Government Association to pay for half the cost of a “peer review” of the report from Wallbridge and Gilbert, which recommended in February that a gravity system be installed as the Community Wastewater Management System in Penneshaw.

Since the consultant’s initial report, the LGA committee responsible for administering the State Government grants to such schemes, funded an addition to the study so that consultants could assess the alternative Biolytix system.

A group of Penneshaw residents has campaigned for eight months to have the council review its decision, seeking a “greener” solution.

A subsequent report from Wallbridge and Gilbert in July found the Biolytix system was neither appropriate nor practical because it required significant infrastructure on private property.

The LGA letter tendered to the council on Friday said the LGA was prepared to defer payment of grant monies for the $4 million scheme and contribute half of the $5000 cost of a “peer review” of the consultant’s report.

The letter said the committee “believes it has gone to unusual lengths to assist council in researching this project”. It also acknowledged “the extent of community questioning and comment”.

Councillor Craig Wickham said he was “very strongly of the view that we have bent over backwards to fulfill the passion of these people regarding alternate schemes” and that the council must consider the needs of existing and future ratepayers.

Cr Joy Willson said a peer review would be an insult to the consultants and Cr Wickham said the consultants had served the Kangaroo Island community well in the past. Mayor Jayne Bates said the bottom line was that the council could not tell people to dig up their backyard to install a Biolytix system.

Penneshaw resident Shirley Knight said she was disappointed by the council’s decision but was still formulating a full response.

Chairman of the LGA’s CWMS Management Committee Michael Barry has said he would visit the island for a further community meeting.