Unsurprisingly plans to force a merger between Flintshire and Wrexham Councils have been binned…again

Plans to create “larger, stronger local authorities” in Wales have been binned once again.

A Green Paper consultation setting new proposals was launched in March by Local government minister Alun Davies.

He proposed to reduce the number of councils in Wales from 22 to ten – echoing a similar plans just a couple of years ago.

And once again, plans to force a merger between Flintshire County Council and neighbouring Wrexham Borough Council were met with the usual hostility mainly from the Wrexham side.

Speaking at the Welsh Local Government Association’s annual meeting in Llandudno today Mr Davies said; “I’m happy to withdraw the map I published in March” in favour of a partnership approach.

Alun Davies (Cabinet Secretary for Local Government): “I’m happy to withdraw the map I published in March” #wlga2018 pic.twitter.com/imaZncfSCb

— Alun Williams (@Alun_Williams) June 28, 2018

Commenting, Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Local Government, Janet Finch-Saunders AM said:

“These proposals were rejected almost universally by local authorities across Wales, as well as opposition parties in the Assembly.

“The Welsh Conservatives made clear from the start that we felt this was top-down Welsh Government diktat and would not be welcomed by those within the sector – who had previously been promised a decade of stability by the previous Cabinet Secretary.

“The Cabinet Secretary spoke of a partnership approach and active centres of self-governing local government – and we await the detail of this in his forthcoming Bill.

“I am pleased that he seems to have seen sense in withdrawing the map – but would urge the Cabinet Secretary to ensure that in bringing forward his new Bill, he takes the local government sector with him.

Full and open public consultation throughout any reform proposal process is essential.

“I hope that he has learnt his lesson in this regard from the Green Paper debacle.”