Barkly Shire Council – one of Australia’s largest and most remote – has been promised improved services.

Barkly Shire’s new president says he hopes to improve the services delivered by the organisation, which is a major challenge for the leaders of communities spread over an area the size of Norway.

“There's a number of significant challenges, firstly the size of the region — it's over 323,000 square kilometres,” Mr Edgington said.

“We've got communities where it takes about a day to get there.”

Mr Edgington worked in the NT Chief Minister's Department before being elected president of the council.

After his swearing-in this week, he said the council would work on a five-year infrastructure plan to improve its chances when it approaches the federal and NT governments for funding.

“I think there's money, it's just a matter of going to government with a fully costed plan,” he said.

“I don't think governments are going to take us too seriously if we just knock on their door and ask for things.”

Michael Liddle - a director for the Urapuntja Aboriginal Corporation and critic of the previous council – said there is plenty to be done.

“[Previous councils] have had close to no impact on developing better quality of life out in that particular region; none at all,” he told reporters.

“With more fruitful conversation we can come across some level ground on what can be achieved.”

Services provided in the struggling region of Utopia are administered by several different bodies: Barkly Regional Council runs aged care and night patrol services, while roads maintenance and other responsibilities are handled by the neighbouring Central Desert Regional Council.

Urapuntja Aboriginal Corporation administers services like mail and Centrelink.

“It's very confusing, and it's still a very, very grey area and who's responsible for this service delivery and who's responsible for that service delivery,” Mr Liddle said.