City of Sydney council has rejected claims by NSW Police Minister Troy Grant that the force was not consulted before anti-terror concrete barricades were installed in Martin Place.
Lord Mayor Clover Moore directed dozens of temporary barricades be set up in the CBD thoroughfare last week because of concerns about vehicles being used as weapons by terrorists.
Mr Grant on Thursday blasted the mayor over the installation saying "no notification was sent to NSW Police, myself or the cabinet about bollards being introduced by the local council in Martin Place".
"It is disappointing that the mayor's best intentions instead caused unnecessary panic and confusion, especially when there isn't a specific threat," he said in a statement, adding that it was "inherent upon us all to work together".
However, email correspondence between City of Sydney staff and a NSW Police Counter Terrorism and Special Tactics Command coordinator - seen by AAP - show council did seek advice on "a quick and cheap solution for vehicle mitigation in Martin Place" days before the barricades were installed.
In the June 19 exchange, the council staffer said: "The CEO has asked me to investigate options for this location in light of recent incidents both international and domestically."
The staffer refers to temporary concrete barricades, such as those used during Vivid, and a "slightly more long-term installation" of three-tonne garden beds or bollards.
In response, the counter-terrorism police coordinator wrote: "Sounds like a good idea."
"The only issue I have with those flower beds is their construction, composition and ability to effectively withstand low-speed vehicle impacts. They have not been crash tested," the police worker said in the email.
"We are about to do a protective security assessment of Martin Place that will incorporate temporary and permanent vehicle barrier measures."
City of Sydney also released an email dated June 27 that shows representatives from the council, NSW Police and the
NSW Fire Brigade met in Martin Place on June 26 to review the new vehicle mitigation measures including the layout of the concrete barricades.
NSW Police on Thursday told AAP it had "maintained an ongoing dialogue" with the City of Sydney council regarding safety mitigation strategies at various locations across the CBD.
"However, NSW Police was never informed of this particular solution at Martin Place nor the timing of its installation," the force said in the statement.
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