In a mayoral minute that was unanimously supported at Wednesday night's meeting, Cr Pynsent requested for the general manager to arrange an urgent meeting between them and Hunter New England Health chief executive Michael Di Rienzo to clarify the hospital's future plans.

It follows recent speculation in the community, arising from an anonymous letter which said services including the emergency department, day care centre, operating theatre and allied health are under threat at Kurri Kurri when the new Maitland Hospital opens in 2022.

Hunter New England Health has repeatedly denied the hospital will close, and says no decision has been made about transitioning services from Kurri Kurri to the new Maitland Hospital.

"A lot of rumours persist regarding the staffing and service available at Kurri Hospital, particularly with the new Maitland Hospital being constructed as we speak," Cr Pynsent said.

"The community needs to be reassured as to the plans for Kurri Hospital."

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Councillors Darrin Gray and Anne Sander, who are council's representatives on the Cessnock-Kurri Kurri local health advisory committee, both commended the mayoral minute.

Cr Gray said the recent rumours and innuendo and a lack of information from Hunter New England Health have created "enormous angst" in the community.

"We need Hunter New England Health to clear the air, and put on the public record once and for all what they see to be the long-term future for Kurri Kurri Hospital," he said.

Cr Gray said it was like "deja vu" for the Kurri community, which turned out in their thousands to protest threats of closure in 1979 and 2009.

"Any attempt to close Kurri Kurri Hospital or remove the emergency department will be met with the same anger from the community as in the past," he said.

"We need to put the community's minds at rest."

Cr Sander echoed his sentiments, saying the community is "watching closely".

"The rumour mill is once again gaining momentum, and the community wants answers," she said.

"This community is growing by the thousands at a very quick pace.

"We need a hospital to be funded as it should be, and no services to be downgraded at all.

"The community deserves some clarity."

Independent councillor Ian Olsen called for the mayor to ask about the future of Cessnock Hospital and the old Maitland Hospital, as well as Kurri Kurri, in his meeting with Mr Di Rienzo.

"We need to know if they are all on the chopping block once this new hospital opens," he said.