Region. Fewer councils suggested

Fewer, bigger councils and a ''Sydney senate'' to make city-wide planning decisions are among the proposals submitted by the Committee for Sydney, an influential policy group, to the state government's reviews of planning and local government.

Tim Williams, CEO, of the group, said the city should create 10 ''planning sub-regions'' or ''super councils'' - more powerful councils that could work with the state government to make planning decisions across Sydney.

The 10 sub-regions would eventually replace Sydney's existing local government areas. Representatives from each sub-region would join a small working group called the ''Sydney senate'' to help the government design and deliver city-wide plans, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.