Wollongong City Council today finds itself in an unprecedented position for NSW local government - and it won't just be residents watching to see how it copes.

This morning the city's three new administrators will meet the council's general manager David Farmer for the first time to plan how they will run the city over the next 41/2 years.

From today the city of Wollongong will be sailing into uncharted waters, according to one of the state's top local government bureaucrats.

Administrator s have been appointed to councils before, Department of Local Government deputy director-general Ross Woodward said, but not in the same circumstances under which Wollongong finds itself.

The administrators will not only take on the role of councillors but will also have the job of clearing "systemic corruption" identified in the council by the Independent Commission Against Corruption inquiry.

"In view of those circumstances and the dismissal it is uncharted waters, the fact that they will need to put in particular procedures to address those things identified (at ICAC)," Mr Woodward said.

"We will be watching closely and discussing how it goes."

Colin Gellatly, Robert McGregor and Gabrielle Kibble will have the power to run the ship as they see fit, under the guidance of Mr Farmer.

"A lot of how they will work will depend on their own decisions," Mr Woodward said.

"They replace the councillors. Whatever the councillors did in the past they will do, they will have to work out what workload they think that is.

"They will also be acting on ICAC findings."

The department expects each administrator will work for two or three days a week and attend council meetings, although this will be determined in discussions with Mr Farmer.

Mr Woodward yesterday tried to allay community concerns - reiterated by outgoing councillors - that there would be less public consultation.

Local newspapers in Liverpool, where Mrs Kibble has served as administrator since March 2004, have at times editorialised about council meetings that ran not much longer than 15 minutes.

But while Wollongong residents shouldn't expect to share one-on-one cups of coffee and chats with the administrators, a more formalised consultation process is likely to be adopted.

"The expectation we have had with other administrators is they will either increase or maintain the level of public access," Mr Woodward said.

"Meetings are shorter because there's not as much discussed and debated on each issue."

At other councils, public sessions have been held outside formal meetings to give the community an opportunity to address the administrators and it would not be a surprise to see the same thing in Wollongong.

"It will really depend on how they want to play it," Mr Woodward said.

Mr Farmer will have an important part to play in working out the responsibilities of each administrator.

"Apart from resolving a range of logistical issues relating to the operations of the administrators, (the meeting) will also be an opportunity for all parties to begin to gain a better understanding of the challenges we will face over the next few years," Mr Farmer said last night.

Meanwhile, a council spokeswoman has told the Mercury no council employees would lose their jobs as a result of the dismissal of the councillors.

"Council employees report to the general manager," she said.