The RLPB State Council last week decided its boundaries recommendations for the other 38 boards, with all 47 to be merged into 13 new super-sized districts by January.

Primary Industries Minister, Ian Macdonald, is expected to approve the changes soon.

Western Division boards have been highly critical of the changes and refused to agree to any board amalgamations, but State Council chief executive, Steve Orr, said the western boards would not get special treatment.

“The status quo is not acceptable,” Mr Orr said.

However, the west’s 72 directors were granted more time on Monday to recommend which regions should be grouped together to form new super boards.

Under the proposed changes, the number of western boards will be cut to two by January 1.

Western branches spokeswoman, Joan Myors, “Ourimbah”, Wanaaring, said the nine boards would now move to “plan B”, by lobbying Mr Macdonald, but a meeting had yet to be confirmed.

Mr Orr would not give details about the latest changes to the board boundaries.

He said splitting existing branches, a prospect which has caused unease, could “not be totally avoided”.

Twenty-five submissions had been received from boards about the boundaries.

The existing Nyngan, Walgett and Coonamble RLPBs are lobbying State Council to form one super board.

“We welcome the opportunity for change,” said Nyngan board chairman Geoff Chase, “but we don’t want to centralise to such an extent that the less populated areas end up losing services.”