Prime Minister Kevin Rudd will reveal details of the funding when he meets hundreds of mayors and shire presidents in Canberra today.

Councils say they have been ready to spend the extra money for the past four years.

“We’re very, very excited,” Australian Local Government Association president Paul Bell said.

"We could spend this money right now, and we’ve got the plans, we’ve done the consultation, we know where the money needs to be spent and injected.

“The details at this stage sound pretty promising to us.”

Cr Bell said councils had been calling on the federal government for a number of years to support local government to renew existing community infrastructure.

Most places in need of refurbishments were about 30 to 40 years old, he said.

“Local governments have been keeping them going, maintaining them, but unfortunately when it comes to replacement and refurbishment at the moment, local governments just can’t afford to do that.”

Councils would also use Tuesday’s meeting to push for constitutional recognition, saying some councils - such as Brisbane and the Gold Coast - controlled virtual city-states.