The annual two-day conference allows councillors to come together, share ideas and debate issues to shape policies.

Last year, council's general manager Mark Riley said the cost to send five councillors as delegates and two board members to the conference was about $13,560.

This time, as well as the general manager and the mayor, councillors Greg Mohr and Allan Smith will be attending as delegates, councillors Lyn Griffiths, Kevin Parker, Tina Reynolds and Rod Towney will be attending as observers and councillors Ben Shields and Greg Matthews will be there as executive members of LGNSW.

The only councillors not making the trip to Sydney will be John Walkom and Bill Kelly.

"The cost [in 2014] included conference registration, travel where applicable, accommodation where applicable and meals where applicable," Mr Riley said at the time.

"Although coucillors (Ben) Shields and (Greg) Matthews are board members of LGNSW, council is still required to fund their attendance at the conference."

According to council's Payment of Expenses and Provision of Facilities for the Mayor and Councillors policy, delegates can also charge for their telephone calls to council and their families, laundry and optional activities in the conference program.

LGNSW president Keith Rhoades said the conference was taking place at a critical time for local government in NSW.

“The proposed reforms and the Fit for the Future deliberations in particular are the primary issues facing NSW local government in 2015 and we are please to have both NSW Premier Mike Baird and NSW Minister for Local Government Paul Toole addressing the conference regarding these and other matters,” he said.

“Future reform will also be a string theme when we stage our own version of Q&A.”

About 800 people from 152 councils are expected to attend the LGNSW conference.