During the fiery extraordinary meeting, which descended into chaos after councillors voted 4-3 to award a $46.4 million construction contract for the Shellharbour City Hub project, mayor Marianne Saliba was blocked from leaving the room by Warilla woman Janet Kortekaas, who said she was "frustrated" at the process.

Ms Kortekaas later apologised for disrupting the meeting.

Council general manager Michael Willis said council staff had taken on suggestions from councillors who had expressed their concern following the events of that night.

In future the mayor will be able to leave the chambers through a secure door behind the mayoral chair, while councillors leaving through a secure side door to the dining room will be asked to close the door behind them at all times.

The council staff member tasked with being the meeting's "custodian" will also be given security training.

Mr Willis said in his opinion the biggest problem was that the room on the ground floor of Lamerton House used for council meetings was not designed as a council chamber.

"It is not a council chamber, it is a large room so there is no proper separation between the council doing its thing and the public observing," Mr Willis said. "The gallery is literally within touching distance of the councillors."

Mr Willis said most council chambers had a "sharper separation" between the council and the members of the public in the room observing.

Source Illawarra Mercury