At the finance committee meeting on May 15, Deputy General Manager Barry Paull revealed that the state government had increased the emergency service contributions by 22.3 per cent.

Currently, the Wingecarribee Shire Council contributes $711,732 to emergency services, with $523,745 going towards Royal Fire Service, $66,576 towards to the SES and $121,411 going towards NSW Fire and Rescue.

Council had previously budgeted a five per cent increase in the proposed 2019/2020 outline bringing the total to $747,318.

The new 22.3 per cent rise will see the proposed contributions rise to $870,519.

This means there will be a budget shortfall of $123,219.

Mr Paull said that it wouldn't be easy.

"Between now and the draft budget coming back to council, we will have to think about how we will deal with this," he said.

"If the state had told councils four months ago, every council would have it in their draft budget and they would be dealing with it.

"They drop it on councils when they know every council in the state has their draft budget on exhibition."

The rise in emergency service contributions has been passed down to every council across NSW. It will cover changes in workers compensation to provide better protection for volunteers and firefighters affected by work related cancers.

The council doesn't dispute the changes to workers compensation.

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