The council under, its new mayor Tracy Norman, was on Wednesday night unanimous in its support to initiate those discussions.

“We just want to gauge what interest there is [with Port Stephens] in a merger,” Cr Norman said.

“We have to acknowledge the results of the poll from the election.”

The poll was conducted at the Dungog council elections.

A majority of residents (55.42 per cent) said ‘yes’ to opening discussions with Port Stephens.

But Cr Norman noted that opinion was split as to whether Dungog should merge at all. Those in favour of Dungog remaining a standalone council were 2492  people (47.13 per cent) verses the 2795 (52.87pc) opposed.

The questions were put to Dungog residents after earlier discussion with Port Stephens Council about a merger failed to progress. Port Stephens Council had approached Dungog as a potential merger partner, as an alternative to a Port Stephens-Newcastle amalgamation as the state government had suggested.

Even after Premier Gladys Berejiklian abandoned all merger plans on February 14, former Port Stephens mayor Bruce MacKenzie continued to advocate for the Dungog merger because it was “the right thing to do”.

The new mayor Ryan Palmer stood for election on a firm no merger platform that Cr Norman acknowledged.

“We do understand Port Stephens’ position and that the new mayor [Cr Palmer] was convincingly elected and strongly opposed the merger,” she said.

“We’re acknowledging the results of our poll and there was a preference to have open discussions with Port Stephens Council but we’re also acknowledging that [Cr Palmer] was very strongly against.

“We past a motion that we approach Port Stephens Council once we formulate a strategy for these discussions.”

Cr Palmer said he would entertain general discussion about how Dungog and Port Stephens might better work together.

“I campaigned very hard rejecting the merger proposal put forward by Port Stephens Council in the last term because I didn’t believe it was in the best interests of residents,” he said.

“But speaking to the mayor of Dungog [Cr Norman] in recent weeks I’m open to discussions around how we can work together outside a merger. It’s about working together to see how we can improve services and efficiency in both local government areas.”