The mayor of Greymouth says progress at the Pike River mine is too slow.
The local council is trying to broker a new deal to recover the bodies of the 29 workers who died in explosions in the West Coast coal mine last November.
No-one has entered the mine beyond 170 metres since it exploded.
Greymouth mayor Tony Kokshoorn says he is frustrated there is still no credible recovery plan for the bodies and plans to re-enter the mine have stalled.
He says it is nearly one year since the tragedy and those in charge of the recovery operation have not made huge progress.
Mr Kokshoorn says when the buyer for the mine is announced in the next few weeks the council wants to get the company together with the Government and the receivers to agree on a full recovery plan with timelines.
Pike River Coal statutory mine manager Steve Ellis rejects Mr Kokshoorn's criticisms.
He says effort is going on below ground and recovery teams should be able to get to the end of the 2.3 kilometre tunnel inside the mine by Christmas.
Memorials are being planned in Greymouth to mark the one year anniversary of the disaster.
