Representatives from different local government areas were chosen to represent Western Plains Regional Council on a planning panel to "ensure transparency".
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The previous Joint Regional Planning Panel members were former Dubbo councillors Lyn Griffiths and Kevin Parker, however they were unable to continue in the position after the council amalgamation.
Instead, Western Plains Regional Council administrator Michael Kneipp has appointed Mid Western Regional Council's manager statutory planning Lindsay Dunston and Gilgandra Shire Council's director environmental services Lindsay Mathieson.
Mr Kneipp said the nominees were chosen based on experience and qualifications, according to the panel's operating procedure.
"Dubbo staff were not nominated as council staff actually do the assessment reports for the Joint Regional Planning Panel for Western Plains Regional Council matters, thus to ensure transparency in the process WPRC staff were not nominated to sit on the JRPP to determine WPRC matters," he said.
The JRPP makes decisions on large regional development projects such as those with a capital investment value more than $20 million. There are six regional panels across NSW, each consisting of five members.
The council representatives will stay in the position until the local government elections in September 2017.
