In a strongly-worded press release, Mr Barilaro vowed “to put an end to the local government mergers in the bush”.

Following his leader’s announcement, Local Government Minister Paul Toole confirmed a proposed merger in his own electorate between Bathurst Regional Council and Oberon Council would not go ahead.

Former Dubbo deputy mayor Ben Shields has urged Mr Barilaro to go one step further and de-amalgamate councils such as Dubbo Regional.

Mr Barilaro’s declaration came just a day after the shock resignation of Premier Mike Baird on Thursday, who defended his government’s policy of forced council amalgamations.

The deputy premier said he was looking forward to working with Mr Baird’s replacement, but it was time to put an end to mergers.

“The policy of local government amalgamations has impacted 20 councils, 12 of which are in regional NSW causing uncertainty and anger, and others are locked in costly legal action – that all stops today,” Mr Barilaro said.

Mr Shields, who was a councillor for 17 years and a member of the Local Government Association since 2004, said it wouldn’t be fair on those councils that had already been forcibly merged if others, who entered into expensive court cases, escaped amalgamation.

“What's good for some councils has to be good for all councils,” he said.

“Dubbo had a legitimate argument for not merging with Wellington, probably stronger than some of the councils who took it to court.

“We followed due process and decided not to use hundreds of thousands of ratepayers' dollars for court costs.”

Any costs of de-amalgamation should be covered by the state government rather than councils, Mr Shields said.

“Ratepayers shouldn’t have to bear the brunt of the costs for a merger they didn’t want,” he said.

Mr Toole said he expected Bathurst and Oberon voters to go to the polls in September to elect new councils.