The Independent Local Government Review Panel has announced it is nearing the end of the second round of consultations with councils and key stakeholders, with the final draft findings due for release in April.

The Panel has held extensive meetings with local government stakeholders in 14 places across the state over recent weeks.

Further meetings are planned for Western Sydney, South West Sydney, Gosford-Wyong and South Coast councils over the coming week.

Panel Chair Graham Sansom said that the Panel had welcomed the opportunity to provide councils with a comprehensive update on the Review’s progress, along with the latest research on regional collaboration and previous local government amalgamations in NSW.  

“We have been encouraged by the generally positive response to the ‘Case for Sustainable Change’ paper we released last November," Mr Sansom said.

“However, there are undoubtedly pockets of intense opposition to anything more than token changes. The Panel hopes that local government leaders will promote an informed debate about the need for reform and the direction it should take."

Professor Sansom said the Panel had also tested the appetite of NSW Government agencies to realise the opportunities that could come from having a stronger local government sector as a valued partner. This has included discussions with the Premier’s department, which is responsible for implementing the State Plan NSW 2021 and preparing Regional Action Plans in consultation with local councils and communities.

More information on the Panel can be found here