The NSW Government will push ahead with planned city council mergers but will abandon pending amalgamations in regional areas. 

In a statement, Premier Gladys Berejuklian said all merged councils across the state will remain in place. 

In addition to maintaining all existing mergers, Berejiklian said the government would push ahead with the councils in Sydney that are before the courts.

“Local government reform is particularly important in Sydney if we are to deliver on our commitments to increase housing supply, improve planning and deliver local infrastructure and amenity to communities,” she said. 

“We have also listened to concerns about local character in Sydney and will continue to ensure individual wards of merged councils will have a say in strategic planning processes so that local residents get an even stronger say in the planning of their neighbourhoods.”

The government will not proceed with regional councils that have yet to be merged.

“Whilst there have been a number of significant improvements in merged regional councils, we accept that a one size fits all model does not always apply outside Sydney,” Berejiklian said.

“The financial benefits over the next 20 years will be six times greater in the Sydney councils than those in regional areas.”