Inquiry into Lords Place confirmed ... and everything else at council

The audit will begin as soon as practical and will likely run via the NSW Office for Local Government. Costs are estimated at about $20,000 to $25,000.

Orange City Councillors unanimously backed the probe during an at-times rowdy meeting on Tuesday night.

"We got this wrong," Cr Frances Kinghorne - who kicked-off the push for external review - said.

"I want to show we understand that and want to learn lessons from the project so we ... do not have a repeat of this debacle."

Councillor Steve Peterson said independent assessment would yield lessons that could improve rollout of future projects.

"Our culture needs to be one of introspection and we need to be willing to take lessons from sub-optimal outcomes," he told the chamber.

Some representatives - including Mel McDonell and deputy mayor Gerald Power - partially defended the development.

"Council staff have copped an awful lot of abuse and my concern is this will be that on steroids," Cr McDonell said.

"Particularly when findings are made public, [I would hope] we really don't target or blame any individual."

All councillors meanwhile voted to offer the nearly-$325,000 worth of remaining outdoor furniture, shade structures and dining decks to Orange businesses for loan.

An effort to lobby for installations Life Vac devices - small plastic pumps designed to clear the airways of choking victims - in all schools, childcare centres, and sports clubs was also given the go-ahead.

The family of Decklan Hayward, who died choking at school last year in Orange, were in attendance.

"As a bereaved parent myself, anything we can do to protect a child we should," Cr Tammy Greenhalgh said.

The next Orange City Council meeting is scheduled for March 5, 2024.