Wagga City Council has been part of the Riverina Eastern Regional Organisation of Councils (REROC) since its founding in 1994.

Mayor Greg Conkey said the the city's associate membership of the Canberra Region Joint Organisation (CRJO) had already delivered benefits.

"We believe there are very close links between Wagga and Canberra and we're working on those links with the ACT government and the Canberra Airport," he said.

"We have been involved in the CRJO for nearly 18 months and we have only recently become an associate member and we have got tremendous value from being an associate member."

The council this month has also started exploring the option of running its own promotional campaign for new residents instead of joining the 'Evocities' campaign with six other regional cities.

Cr Conkey said Wagga was not trying to advance itself at the expense of the region as a whole.

"It's very important for us to be a member of the Riverina Joint Organisation and for Wagga to be surrounded by strong vibrant communities," he said.

"We're not really interested in standing alone but at the same time we are the largest regional city in inland NSW and we have a lot to offer this region and we need to be a team player to assist the whole region to grow and expand."

REROC will consider mergers with other groups after Wagga and Snowy Valleys opted to leave.

From July, the REROC membership will then comprise of the Bland, Coolamon, Cootamundra-Gundagai, Greater Hume, Junee, Lockhart, Temora, and Goldenfields and Riverina Water County councils.

REROC Chair and Temora Mayor Rick Firman said the departures would have a financial impact on the group.

"The members such as Junee and Cootamundra-Gundagai are disappointed, we're disappointed in seeing original members departing but we can understand their positions," he said.

"Ultimately, they paid very large membership fees.

"We have the Riverina Joint Organisation and REROC boards running side-by-side and there is a review that will take place in 18 months that will determine whether we continue with both or merge into one."

Wagga council contributed almost $61,000 to REROC for the current financial year, with its councillors backing a motion to leave the group during Monday night's meeting.

Wagga council staff reported to councillors that there was "little, if any value" for the city in REROC's activities, except for the Southern Lights program for better street lighting, and they should focus on the Canberra Region Joint Organisation.

Wagga Ratepayers Association chief Lynne Bodell said it was often difficult for people outside of councils to determine the value of memberships to a range of advocacy groups.

Wagga deputy mayor Dallas Tout told the meeting it was sad to leave the group having been a member since its founding in 1994 but the city's needs had changed.

"I have seen REROC from the beginning...at the time there was a drastic need as resources sharing didn't exist and it fulfilled a lot of requirements but councils and technology has developed in the mean time," he said.

"Joint Organisations are the vehicle of the future and Regional Organisation of Councils will be phased out."

Cr Firman said he was "saddened to see" Wagga and Snowy Valleys go but there were "certainly no hard feelings" between them.

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