Ms Scott, now Sydney deputy mayor and President of the Local Government Association of NSW, visited Glen Innes last week for talks about the big issues affecting the region.

One issue facing Local Government's peak body and lobbyist: the relative low pay and poor conditions NSW councilors face.

'It certainly is the case that councilors across the state have told me that they've got concerns that mayors and councilors aren't able to receive superannuation," she said.

"Every other worker in our country is entitled to superannuation including mayors and councilors in other states.

"And particularly it's important for women where there's already a huge disparity in the amount of superannuation on average that they have.

"It can be a significant deterrent for women to run for council.

"And in NSW we have the lowest number of women elected to council of any state in the country, so this is a significant barrier.

"We certainly have spoken to the government about our concerns."

NSW councilors are paid far worse than their counterparts in Queensland, with Glen Innes Severn councilors earning between $8,970 and $11,860 and Mayor Carol Sparks earning an additional $9,540 to $25,880. By contrast the Mayor of a similarly sized Queensland council earns $130,584.

As Sydney's deputy mayor Linda Scott would be paid between $26,970 and $39,540. A Brisbane City councilor receives $154,310 and the deputy mayor $205,116.

Is it reasonable to expect a full time job from a part time pay?

"The job of being a councilors is far more intensive than it was a decade ago, so the skill level required has increased, the amount of training required to be undertaken has increased," she said.

Meanwhile, the Local Government Association head vowed to advocate to make sure that councils have the resources and the support they need from the state and federal governments to ensure towns don't run out of water.

"In coming months the rainfall predictions are lower than in previous years. We're spending a lot of time undertaking significant advocacy with the state and federal governments about this issue."

She said the number one issue has been an increased emergency services levy, which would have cost Glen Innes ratepayers 74,768 but will now be covered by state taxpayers. Glen Innes councilors never made up their minds to vote for or against the levy.

The emergency service levy increase will pay worker's compensation for firefighters with one of 12 work-related cancers.