Gunnedah Shire Council mayor Jamie Chaffey supports Local Government NSW and Country Mayors Association of NSW statewide road emergency declaration

Cr Chaffey has urged his fellow councillors to support a push by Local Government NSW and Country Mayors' Association of NSW to declare a statewide road emergency.

Having faced six floods - five of those reaching major flood level - since November last year, council has been left with a "massive" and "exhausting" task ahead to repair damaged roads.

"We need help," Cr Chaffey wrote in a submission to council.

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"Our community needs help.

"We desperately need our leaders to lead."

With 126 local government areas declared natural disaster zones in the past 12 months, Local Government NSW declared a statewide roads emergency on November 3.

The Country Mayors' Association of NSW has thrown its support behind the declaration, which is calling for state and federal governments to increase their road funding commitments in the wake of recent flooding.

Cr Chaffey said it was "absolutely vital" to get the critical infrastructure up to scratch.

"The last rain event has hit at a critical time," he wrote.

"Winter crops are ready to be harvested and the window for planting summer crops, including cotton, only lasts a matter of weeks.

"Cotton is the single largest contributor to our agricultural outputs."

The road damage has also left residents isolated, workers unable to make a wage, and students unable to get to school, Cr Chaffey said.

With support from local councils, the emergency declaration is pushing for an acceleration and increase in funding for the $1.1 billion Fixing Local Roads and Fixing Country Bridges program, a boost to Road Block Grant funding and new funding to provide councils with plant machinery and skilled workers to carry out road repairs.

Council crews are yet to determine an exact damage bill, but Cr Chaffey said the task was beyond the "reasonable scope" of any local government body.

"We're not seeing enough time between the water receding from one flood to water rising on the next flood to get a full assessment," he said.

"We face an unprecedented disaster that requires an unprecedented response."

The decision to join with Local Government NSW and the Country Mayors' Association of NSW to declare a statewide roads emergency will go before council on Wednesday.

If Cr Chaffey's submission is supported by council, he will write to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet to plead for immediate action.

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