How council mergers will shape NSW

HOW COUNCIL AMALGAMATIONS WILL CHANGE THE FACE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN NSW

* Merging 75 councils will shrink NSW councils from 152 to 112.

* 109 regional councils will drop to 87

* Greater Sydney will go from 43 to 25

WHICH AREAS WILL MERGE?

Sydney:

* Ashfield, Leichhardt, Marrickville

* Auburn, Holroyd

* Bankstown, Canterbury

* Botany Bay, Rockdale

* Burwood, Canada Bay, Strathfield

* Gosford, Wyong

* Hawkesbury, The Hills

* Hornsby, Ku-ring-gai

* Hunters Hill, Lane Cove, Ryde

* Hurstville, Kogarah

* Manly, Mosman, Warringah

* North Sydney, Willoughby

* Parramatta

* Pittwater, Warringah

* Randwick, Waverley and Woollahra

Regional mergers:

* Armidale-Dumaresq and Guyra

* Bathurst, Oberon

* Berrigan, Jerilderie

* Blayney, Cabonne, Orange

* Bombala, Cooma-Monaro, Snowy River

* Boorowa, Harden, Young

* Conargo, Deniliquin

* Cootamundra, Gundagai

* Corowa, Lockhart, Urana

* Dubbo, Wellington

* Dungog, Gloucester

* Goulburn Mulwaree, Palerang

* Jerilderie, Murrumbidgee

* Kiama, Shoalhaven

* Murray, Wakool

* Newcastle, Port Stephens

* Palerang, Queanbeyan

* Shellharbour, Wollongong

* Tamworth, Walcha

* Tumbarumba, Tumut

WHY?

The government claims:

* Shrinking NSW council numbers will create $2 billion in financial benefits.

* Population declines and growing regional centres.

* Removing red tape and improving communication across Sydney and NSW.

Those who oppose it claim:

* The mergers are inherently political process. "These boundaries have no basis in fact; they are the result of trades within cabinet between ministers," opposition local government spokesman Peter Primose says.

Source: NSW government