Local Government Minister Paul Toole has announced five joint-organisation pilots to begin operating soon. They will cover the Hunter, Illawarra, Namoi, Riverina and Central West regions.

There were 11 applications for joint organisations to be established and more pilots may be approved in coming months.

The Independent Local Government Review Panel recommended joint organisations to manage strategic planning and shared services as an alternative to amalgamation for many councils. However, the government has stated that all councils outside Greater Sydney will be members of a joint organisation after the September 2016 council elections.

When the Baird government announced its Fit for the Future blueprint for local-government reform in September it declined to repeat its 2011 election commitment of no forced council amalgamations.

Unlike the current regional organisations of councils (ROCs) where a council's participation in joint programs is voluntary, the new "JOs" and their functions will be mandated by legislation. Mr Toole has said it will be up to existing ROCs if they wish to continue to exist.

"It is critical to get joint organisations right so that they foster consistent collaboration, yet are flexible enough to meet individual community needs and to operate with minimal cost and red tape," Mr Toole said. Developers say the joint organisations should take responsibility for planning. "The two urban groups of the Hunter and the Illawarra can demonstrate a successful model that could be applied to Sydney councils if amalgamations do not occur in all areas," Urban Taskforce chief executive Chris Johnson said.

"A central planning office can develop specialist skills in strategic planning, assessments and infrastructure planning while increasing career prospects for young planners," he said. "The planners will also take a more independent position in the assessment of projects."