That's the view of Cr Glenn Taylor who has called for an expansion of Orange's wood bank scheme to help the needy.

A report to Orange City Council's meeting on Tuesday night includes a recommendation that council provide $10,000 to continue the wood bank scheme, where loads of wood are provided for free to needy people to use on their fires.

Cr Taylor said it would probably not be enough.

He said a 'heat bank' where people also received assistance to meet gas and electricity bills during winter should be considered.

"We should approach the state and federal governments to get something up and running," he said.

"Not just for here but in areas like Orange that have very severe winters.

"I'm a really strong advocate for it."

Cr Glenn Taylor said he had asked council staff for a detailed report into the profile of people and the extent of the demand for the wood bank.

He said previous allocations of money for the wood bank had seen the wood get snapped up.

"The money was chewed up in no time at all," he said.

However he said it should not just be left to the council to fund the program.

"Is it viable for council to continue it. I think there is a need for it," he said.

"I acknowledge we, the ratepayers can't do it."

The report to council says councillors could consider funding $10,000 for the current financial year and consider making an annual allocation for other years as part of the budget process.

It said in 2018-19 council spent $7557 on the wood bank.

In 2019-20 it allocated $10,000 and there was a donation of $700 but only $8936 was spent.

In 2020-21 only $1000 had been spent and that related to deliveries last July.

In the first year of the scheme an initial council allocation of $5000 to buy wood resulted in 45 loads of wood being delivered to households across Orange.

That led to council making a further contribution as demand exceeded supply.

The scheme was launched at Food Care with the requirement of a limit of one load of wood be supplied to each household without cost.

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