WALES moved a step closer to a massive Local Government reform today, following an announcement by Leighton Andrews.

Mr Andrews was responding to the results of the consultation on the Reforming Local Government White Paper published in February.  Over 700 responses were received, while more than 3,000 people took part in the opinion poll.

The major announcement concerned the shift from 22 local authorities down to eight or nine – two potential maps have been put forward.  Under both of the proposed maps, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, and Pembrokeshire would amalgamate in a reformation of Dyfed.  

As a result of these changes, the existing cap of 75 elected members per local authority would be replaced by a higher cap, to avoid elected members serving an unfeasibly large number of people.  It has not been stated what the future cap would be.

9 Local Authorities

• Isle of Anglesey and Gwynedd
• Conwy and Denbighshire
• Flintshire and Wrexham
• Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire
• Swansea and Neath Port Talbot
• Bridgend, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Merthyr Tydfil
• Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan
• Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Torfaen, Monmouthshire and Newport
• Powys

8 Local Authorities

• Isle of Anglesey, Gwynedd and Conwy
• Denbighshire, Flintshire and Wrexham
• Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire
• Swansea and Neath Port Talbot
• Bridgend, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Merthyr Tydfil
• Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan
• Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Torfaen, Monmouthshire and Newport
• Powys

Proposals made by the White Paper which received strong support in the consultation process included giving a general power of competence to Local Authorities, and the establishment of a Public Services Staff Commission.

However, the idea of limiting the period of time that elected officers can serve for, and allowing officers to stand for election in their own authorities both attracted a strong negative response, as did the proposal that community councils should pass a competency test by demonstrating a turnover of at least £200,000, thus creating a two-tier system.  As a result, Mr Andrews announced that he would be scrapping these proposals.

Mr Andrews emphasized that this was not a final decision, but the next phase in discussions.  A draft Mergers and Reform Bill will be published in the autumn, which will include further formal consultation on the proposals for Local Authority mergers, as well as a Regulatory Impact Assessment.

Pembrokeshire County Council Leader, Jamie Adams, said: “Seeing the maps for the first time this morning it is difficult to comment without some explanation of the rationale behind it. My position has always been: will the change improve the services we deliver to the public while at the same time reducing costs?

“If it doesn’t tick those two boxes, I think it is right to question the validity of this exercise.

“Apart from the obvious loss of local decision-making and accountability, I also have concerns about the real damage reorganisation could do to a very successful brand.

“I am referring to the Pembrokeshire name which is instantly recognisable to those living far outside our County and even beyond Wales.

“A large number of local businesses in tourism, agriculture, food and energy depend on, and identify strongly, with brand Pembrokeshire for their livelihood.

“I fear they will inevitably suffer if amalgamation goes ahead and in these trying times I believe it would be foolish to gamble with the health of our local economy.

“However I do welcome some of the measures that the Minister is apparently not pursuing having taken onboard the views of local government.

Preseli Pembrokeshire Assembly Member Paul Davies has criticised the Welsh Labour Government’s plans for local government in Wales, which could see the number of Welsh councils cut from twenty two to single figures. The plans also include a return to the old Dyfed model for people living in Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion.

Mr Davies said, “Bigger is not always better and the proposals brought forward by the Welsh Labour Government do not show any evidence that this new map would result in an improvement in the delivery of public services in Pembrokeshire. Any change in the structure of local government in Wales must be locally-led and representing the will of their local communities.”

He added, “There are huge concerns that communities across west Wales could lose their local identities. The Pembrokeshire brand is synonymous across the globe with tourism and food produce and we need to do everything we can to protect that, as it will be lost under these merger plans. Many people fought long and hard against the old Dyfed model and so we must not lose Pembrokeshire in the Welsh Government’s drive to centralisation across Wales. There is no evidence to show that these plans are wanted by the people of Pembrokeshire and I want to make it absolutely clear that I will continue fighting to protect our Pembrokeshire brand.”

More details will be published in this Friday’s Herald.