Mr Wilson believes that the Revitalising Local Government report, which was published by the Independent Local Government Review Panel, will provide a future state government with the excuse they need to merge councils.

It contains 65 recommendations to help strengthen councils but according to Mr Wilson, almost half of those recommendations are for councils to merge or at the very least undergo significant structural reform. They were made despite almost all councils being opposed to amalgamations.

Within the Orana Regional Organisation of Councils (OROC), any proposals that involve amalgamation or structural reform have been unanimously opposed and for now, the government won’t be forcing it.

However that guarantee only lasts for the current term of government and with an election due early next year, the situation could change quickly.

One of Mr Wilson’s biggest complaints about the report is that recommendations have been made without providing any evidence that they would work.

Does merging two struggling councils  make a successful council, or one big struggling one?

If Dubbo, Wellington and Narromine are forced to merge, as the recommendation suggests, is there a winner? The two small councils potentially lose local jobs, their identity and have to accept small representation while Dubbo is essentially subsidising the other councils.

It sounds like a lose-lose.