''What kind of record are you trying to break?'' Peter Mead asked the board.
Mr Mead, who was mayor of the Cromwell borough from 1980-1986, made a submission to the Central Otago District Council's draft annual plan, saying hall redevelopment had been proposed for 13 years but was deferred, year after year.
''Why not get on to it?'' he asked the board at its meeting on Monday.
''Where's the leadership?''
Mr Mead said the board deserved ''a serve on this one''.
In the draft plan, the council said $1.5 million had initially been allowed for the project, with a further $1.5 million from other fundraising sources, but due to more work being done on the design, the project had been postponed.
It was likely to be carried out in 2016.
Mr Mead's submission was on behalf of the Cromwell and Districts Community Arts Council and he said the facility was used for a rehearsal recently and both toilets in the hall were out of order and a three-pin plug was not working.
''It's spartan, it's really time something was done about this''.
It was a ''rort'' for the board to increase the cost of hiring the facility from $450 to $470 for a day, and there should be a reduction in the hire charges by 30% until the redevelopment was done, he said.
Board chairman and deputy Central Otago Mayor Neil Gillespie said the running costs associated with the hall continued to increase, so the rise in hire costs was not unreasonable.
Mr Gillespie said the discussion about upgrading the facility had been going on longer than 13 years but whatever was done to the building ''has to be right for a long time''.
He rejected the claim the continual postponement was a result of lack of leadership. Work was being done and it was being led by the board.
Routine maintenance should not have been deferred and council staff would look into that matter, he said.
Mr Mead asked if hall users would get a chance to comment on the latest building redesign and said it was unfair on the users for redevelopment work to constantly be delayed.
