Mr Baird is leaving politics after 10 years in state parliament and almost three years as premier.

He has overseen a raft of controversial measures including tough lockout laws, a ban on greyhound racing (since overturned) and the leasing of the state’s poles and wires network.

He was also the driving force behind the widely unpopular program of forced council mergers being administered by Bathurst MP and Local Government Minister Paul Toole.

Mr Toole must now wait until the Liberal Party elects a new premier next week to learn the future of the mergers and whether he retains his portfolio following an expected cabinet reshuffle.

He conceded a new premier might have new plans for the local government sector.

“I wouldn’t say I’m worried [that the mergers might be dumped] but I will have to work with the new premier and any new policy as we go forward,” he said.

“Mike was a believer in strong local councils being able to provide better services and infrastructure for their communities but that will now be a decision for the new premier.”

Mr Toole said he believed Mr Baird still had a lot to offer NSW politics and would have liked to see him remain in parliament on the back bench.

“Mike Baird was a charismatic premier, an intelligent premier and he had incredible debating skills on the floor of parliament,” he said.

“He was a bit unusual as a politician because he made decisions very decisively – something I think has been lacking for some time – but when he got it wrong he was also willing to apologise, which was something I admired him for.

“I think he still had a lot to contribute so it is a little disappointing that his retirement will mean a costly by-election.”

Mr Toole said the Nationals would put plenty of pressure on the new premier to ensure a fair go for regional funding projects.

He said Gladys Berejiklian, Andrew Constance and Anthony Roberts were the front runners to replace Mr Baird.