Berejiklian government expected to backflip on council mergers

The Berejiklian government is on the brink of announcing a major backflip on forced council mergers – one of the Baird government’s most controversial policies.

9NEWS understands the new NSW Premier is considering halting mergers between regional and Sydney councils that have not already amalgamated.

Mergers between Woollahra/Waverley/Randwick, North Sydney/Mosman/Willoughby, Canada Bay/Strathfield/Burwood, Hunters Hill/Lane Cove/Ryde and Hornsby/Ku-ring-gai, will not go ahead.

For councils that have already merged, plebiscites will be held where ratepayers will vote on whether to “de-amalgamate”.

Especially important for the government is the merger of North Sydney, Mosman and Willoughby – a point of controversy before the by-election in Jillian Skinner’s seat of North Shore.

“Both myself and the deputy premier have foreshadowed we will be discussing those issues – there’s no doubt about it,” Ms Berejiklian said earlier.

The plan is suspected to go to Cabinet either tomorrow or next week.

A vote for the plebiscites could be as late as after the next election in 2019.