The report shows varied statistics for each of the 11 groups of councils, and how each council compares with the group's average. For the 04/05 year, Palerang's average Rate per Residential assessment was $480.79, against the group's average of $458.96, while its average Farmland assessment was $965.15, against an average of $1,812.83.

The number of Development Applications (DA) determined topped the group with 513 against an average of 338. The mean time in calendar days for determining DAs was 102.04 (average was 43.14). Some of the other figures include; Legal expenses to total planning and development costs 7.88% (average 3.15%), Net recreation and leisure expense per capita $28.26 (average $71), Community service expenses per capita $2.03 (average $62.14).

President of the Local Government Association of NSW, Cr Genia McCaffery, said that the report does not give a "full picture" of the individual performances of councils. "This is just a council bashing exercise which overlooks features of the report that are praiseworthy of councils" she said.

"For example, on the contentious issue of the number of days for processing development applications (DAs), the report found that 73.5% of councils did undertake such work within 40 calendar days or less, the accepted norm."

"The report does not take into account mandatory referral of DAs to statutory authorities, or the time taken to assess public opinion, and ignores the critical shortage of planners available to councils," Cr McCaffery said.

The report can be see at www.dlg.nsw.gov.au