Welsh councils 'will not merge for a decade'

Despite the Welsh Government suggesting that the number of councils in Wales should be reduced from 22 to around 9, a council leader has said he does not believe this will happen for at least 10 years.

Emlyn Dole, leader of Carmarthenshire, told S4C's Newyddion 9 that he had received assurances from Local Government Secretary Mark Drakeford that his council ‘will remain for at least 10 years’.

Dole said: "The authorities will remain, unless they themselves want to merge. But there will be more of a regional footprint - working together on a regional level."

However, the reassurances were not appreciated by Dyfed Edwards, leader of Gwynedd Council, who told Newyddion 9 he would rather see a plan for reorganisation than face another decade without changes.

He commented: "We need a new system of councils so that we can face not just the next decade, but the next 50 years. That has to come some day.

"I was a supporter of the ex-minister's plan to create new local authorities that could serve citizens across Wales. There wasn't much support within councils for a new map in terms of reorganisation.

"The only way it will happen is through voluntary agreements. Or if we look at a regional structure where services are brought together."