Horizons regional councillor Bob Walker seconded a motion to fund community and environmental projects, but now claims he's "only two councillors" away from stopping the annual grants.
Mr Walker wants to cut the community grants because he says the council can't afford them.
Yesterday, Horizons chairman Bruce Gordon said Mr Walker's idea had come from left field and he was "shocked and terribly disappointed".
"A motion was put to the council and Bob seconded it," he said, when in November 2011 the council undertook to fund community and environment projects.
Yesterday, Mr Walker said he did second the motion, but had changed his stance because the council had to cut back on rates spending it could not afford. Furthermore the next lot of funding would be the last because he only needed six councillors to support him, and he only had to get another two to stop the grants, he said.