“Oberon’s financial position is better than Bathurst, so why in hell would Oberon want to amalgamate with Bathurst?” he asked.

Cr McMahon was one of a number of Central West council representatives attending a forum in Bathurst as local government considers its future in the wake of recommendations to amalgamate.

“Our position is quite clear: Oberon Council is determined to be a stand-alone council,” he said.

“We believe we have the financial stability to stand alone and progress into the future.

“Our area is going through a boom at the moment.”

The Oberon mayor said employment opportunities were increasing with the opening of an abattoir and an aged care complex.

“I am very positive about Oberon’s future,” he said. “The only thing that would scuttle Oberon is if it amalgamates with a big centre like Bathurst.”

Yesterday’s Local Government NSW forum was the eighth of 15 being held across the state. 

The forums are designed to obtain feedback from member councils on the 65 recommendations made in the independent review into NSW local government released last year.

Following the release of the report, Local Government Minister Don Page stressed there will be no forced amalgamations, but some councils are not convinced.

Cr McMahon said politicians want to deal with fewer councils because that means less work.

The Oberon mayor is, however, not adverse to forming a partnership with Bathurst to share resources.

He said there is always room for co-operation between local bodies, particularly when it comes to sharing plant equipment. 

Blayney mayor Scott Ferguson said Blayney council is against any forced amalgamation, but councillors are keen to explore every option available to them, in particular an alliance between Blayney, Wellington and Cabonne councils. 

He said they have already held a number of discussions about sharing services.

“We are very open-minded,” he said. 

“It’s early days yet, but we have been having talks with Bathurst, Orange and Cowra councils about forming alliances.”

Tony Perry, general manager of the Central Tablelands Water Authority County Council, also based in Blayney, said there are five county councils in the state and all are opposed to one recommendation in the report: that county councils become a subsidiary of any joint organisations.

“There is no logical reason county councils shouldn’t be an equal member like any other council,” Mr Perry said. 

Bathurst mayor Gary Rush said the forum gave councils the chance to seek out productivity and efficiency gains.

“This will ultimately provide us with the best way of operating together in the future,” he said.

Contentious recommendations from the review into local government include the term for mayors increasing to two years; the option of popularly elected mayors for cities over 40,000; boundary alterations; and voluntary mergers.