A conglomerate of some of the country’s highest producing councils is pushing for more control over mine rates.

The Association of Mining Related Councils says its members would like to have mine rates as supplementary, rather than as part of the general pool. The change would require a serious overhaul of New South Wales’ local government protocol. The request has come after a meeting of the Association in Sydney.

Rates related to gas exploration and extraction will not have an impact on a local government area's base rate if the mine prices are treated as supplementary, according to Director of Environmental Services with the Liverpool Plains Shire Council, Ron Van Katwyk.

Mr Van Katwyk says if accepted, a change would be positive both for residents and landholders; “There is a real shock to the general ratepayer when the pool has to make up what is now missed by the mining activity leaving the area... when mining rates are included in the rating pool it has the effect of driving down other rates, but then when those miners leave, there is a massive gap to be filled.”