But, while Orange City Council is open to discussions, it will wait until the merger question is settled.

Cabonne Council deputy mayor Lachie MacSmith said Wellington was due to leave the alliance at the end of the year in favour of a working relationship with Dubbo City Council, leaving a possible gap for Orange if it wanted to take part.

“We want to get closer to Orange on tourism and planning, and Cowra’s a good council,” he said.

“We can survive for a while, but we have to move on shared services some way, somehow.”

However, Orange mayor John Davis said the council was already a Centroc member and a joint organisation with Cabonne and Blayney would be “an amalgamation when you’re not having an amalgamation”.

“We will co-operate once the decision is made on which of the councils are standing alone,” he said.

Both Orange and Cabonne have submitted stand alone proposals, which include improvement plans.

Aside from regional collaboration, Cabonne’s strategies will include possible councillor and staff reductions, reducing work skills gaps, creating economic and tourism strategies, better asset valuation, and a $3 million increase in roads expenditure next year.

Orange’s strategies will include life cycle cost modelling on its projects, masterplans for its villages, the airport business park and the gateway, and a review into service costs. 

danielle.cetinski@fairfaxmedia.com.au