In fairness to Mr Toole, he has made that point before.

But rather than mellowing on the topic over time, he seemed to be even more blunt when he talked to the Western Advocate on Thursday from isolation at home.

"Council has continued to build thousands of new homes in the Kelso area on the other side of the river, but they have not invested back into the road or even put any dollars aside for a new bridge," he said.

Some will see this sort of talk - state member arguing with the council where he was once mayor - as a bit messy, but it really should be welcomed.

No-one believes that our representatives at all the political levels get on famously all the time; that they are of a like mind on every topic and agree without debate on the direction the city should be taking.

It's refreshing to hear some honesty from Mr Toole about how funding should be distributed in Bathurst (from a NSW Government that isn't exactly flush with cash after two years of COVID).

But it's also good to hear Bathurst Regional Council general manager David Sherley's explanation about how developer contributions are spent and council's initial ideas about how it hopes to eventually fund the $25 million (at least) Hereford Street project.

The argument between the local and state tiers won't, of course, get Bathurst any closer to another lane or two on a regularly clogged road that frustrates many of those living in Kelso, but that's another matter.

While it's being talked about, Hereford Street is not being forgotten.

And that's something, at least.