The NSW Government asked IPART to review the assessment criteria for ‘fit for the future’ councils. Following a review by the Independent Local Government Review Panel (Review Panel), the Government decided to reform local government by creating councils that are strategic and ‘fit for the future’. Under the proposed reforms councils submitted a ‘fit for the future’ proposal by 30 June 2015 to the Office of Local Government (OLG), for assessment by an expert panel. The expert panel would assess the proposals against criteria consistent with the definition of a strategic, ‘fit for the future’ council. OLG developed draft criteria and provided them to us on 22 August 2014. We were asked to assess the criteria and report to the Minister for Local Government and the Premier by Wednesday 3 September 2014. Our final report presents our assessment of the criteria.