Port Macquarie-Hastings Council has committed to community consultation about the options under consideration.

The consultation comes as the council enters into negotiations with organisations which registered an interest when the council tested the market over the facility's potential sale or long-term lease.

The council will embark on the negotiations with a view, subject to further consideration, to enter into a contract or other arrangement.

Tender Funerals Working Party convener Celia Kershaw said she was deeply disappointed that the council was entering into the negotiations.

She welcomes the consultation but believes the consultation should have been done much earlier.

"I think everybody who can needs to get onto the have your say [website] and demand a public meeting in their centre," Mrs Kershaw said.

She said the council really needed to get a feel about the community's opinion on the issue.

Council director Rebecca Olsen said the council acknowledged the importance and sensitivity of cremation and burial services to our community.

"The current investigations are focused on ensuring the best possible ongoing delivery of cremation, lawn cemetery and memorialisation services to our community, including first and foremost the ongoing care and protection of existing interments and inurnments at Innes Gardens Memorial Park," Ms Olsen said.

"The recent investigations have indicated that there are a number of providers within the funeral industry that are interested in delivering crematorium and cemetery services to our local community.

"The proposed negotiations are aimed at identifying the benefits able to be offered by other providers to further improve and expand the range of facilities and services available for the community at Innes Gardens Memorial Park."

The Tender Funerals Working Group has raised its concerns with the council.

"I think the crematorium and lawn cemetery should remain under the council's control," Mrs Kershaw said.

"You can't absolutely guarantee that a private company will do the right thing in perpetuity."

Mrs Kershaw is also concerned costs would rise under a privatised model.

The working party was formed to look at the feasibility of a Tender Funerals franchise here.

The council noted while the Tender Funerals Working Party was not one of the organisations which registered an interest, this did not preclude the working party from establishing a low-cost funeral service in the local government area.

Mrs Kershaw believes the council should stop the current process and talk to the Tender Funerals Working Party about a possible partnership in a step towards a low-cost funeral service in the Hastings.

"It seems just a such a common sense approach to use teamwork to achieve the best outcome for the community," she said.

The council is inviting community feedback from July 1 to 28 on the future of crematorium and lawn cemetery.

The feedback will assist in informing a future council decision.

A report is due to come back to the August 2019 council meeting with details of the negotiations and community feedback.

The council vote was carried four to three with mayor Peta Pinson and Cr Peter Alley and Cr Sharon Griffiths voting against.

No decision has been made to sell the facility.

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