A local council is refusing to go to bat for the New South Wales State Government, saying it will not collect fees imposed on land services.

The Gosford City Council says the state government will have to do its own work, objecting to its supposed use as a bill collector for a new amalgamation of state government agricultural departments called NSW Local Land Services.

The Local Land Services program was announced last October by the Minister for Primary Industries Katrina Hodgkinson; it was to be funded by contributions from the State Government, ratepayers and through government grants. Gosford Council says it should not have to be the one to collect the money from ratepayers on the department’s behalf.

Gosford Deputy Mayor Bob Ward says: “Council objects to being used as a collection agency when it should be just as efficient for the State Government to use other frameworks for collection...residents will be concerned about the extra billing from council... it's their tax and they can collect it.”

The Council has also objected to a particular point of the billing system, which imposes a flat fee for properties from 2ha to 10ha.

The NSW Local Land Services will be operational from next year.