Ratepayers can now compare local rates, infrastructure, services and other statistics in their area to other local government areas (LGA) across the state.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
On Tuesday the NSW Government launched the Your Council website to compare the particulars of all 128 LGAs in NSW, and Tamworth mayor Col Murray can see both a benefit and downside to such a service.
"It is certainly good for councils to be able to benchmark their performance against other councils," Mr Murray said.
"Although we have done some similar studies before with Evocities, and the results can be a bit challenging to understand, as it is difficult to record the intricacies of each region."
Read more:
Tamworth has been matched demographically and geographically in Group 4, alongside several other former Evocities, and fairs reasonably well for infrastructure and services, however falls short in average salary and unemployment.
"A website like this is just one tool that people looking to relocate would look at, but a friendly welcoming shop-front - like we have in Peel Street is also important, as are schools, sporting and cultural infrastructure and water security," Mr Murray said.
"Tamworth may let itself down a bit in affordable, and varied, housing options, while council is always talking about increasing the average salary, and all the research suggests a university would do that."
The Tamworth LGA boasts 23 town halls, and six public pools, compared to the group average of 13 halls and three pools, while TRC maintains 3198 km of road, compared to the average of 1399 km.
As Wagga and Tamworth both strive to reach the 100,000 population mark to become "inland capitals of northern and southern NSW" Tamworth is actually winning the race with 4.5 per cent growth over the last five years, compared to Wagga, which recorded growth of 4.1 percent. However both are above the group average of 3.8 per cent.