Ms Dixon said council had tried to balance attracting users to the showground and charging itinerant traders, and acknowledged it was a “contentious issue”.

Ms Dixon advocated frequent use of the showground as a way of saving general rates for other purposes.

The director sought to explain council’s perspective after Dubbo resident Charles Andreas took issue with its policy in a letter to the Daily Liberal editor.

Mr Andreas, Dubbo TenpPin Bowl manager, was an opponent of the visiting ice-skating enterprise, but in the letter broadened his attack and asked why councillors did not want to protect local businesses.

“During the past two months retail shops struggling with the economy have endured sales from profit-run itinerant traders selling vacuum cleaners, women’s underwear, clothing and manchester,” he said.

Dubbo mayor Allan Smith referred the Daily Liberal to Ms Dixon.

The ice-skating company

will pay council $1000 a week as well as 15 per cent of its gross takings.

Other itinerant traders will pay $99 per square metre of pavilion hired, and an electricity charge comprising the metre charge plus 150 per cent and GST.

In forming the new policy

recommended to council, staff undertook benchmarking with similar facilities in Dubbo and made a recommendation they thought was competitive, Ms Dixon said.

“The income generated by itinerant traders does reduce the draw from general rates and revenue required to operate the showground,” she said.

“It means council can spend more money on other services instead of the showground.”

In 2009-10 council earned just less than $40,000 from itinerant traders.