Council reject Flintshire merger – prefer ‘enlarged Wrexham’ taking areas of Powys & Denbighshire

There is once again strong opposition to a proposed merger between Wrexham and Flintshire Councils – with an “enlarged Wrexham” taking in areas of Powys and Denbighshire seen as a better option if such plans were to go ahead.

In March 2018 Wrexham.com reported that controversial plans to merge Wrexham and Flintshire Councils were back on the agenda as part of fresh plans by the Welsh Government.

The proposals, which featured as part of a Green Paper consultation, once again put reducing the number of Welsh councils down from 22 to 10 back on the table.

Three options were set out in the Green Paper – voluntary mergers, a ‘phased approach’ – which would allow early adopters to merge in 2022, and a single merger programme taking place in 2022.

This would mean anyone standing in council elections in 2021, would potentially be elected to a ‘Wrexshire Council’, or whatever name is dreamt up for the new entity.

Wrexham Council notoriously stood firm against any merger plans, with Council Leader Mark Pritchard stating back in September 2014 that the local authority would “not bullied into a merger with Flintshire County Council by Cardiff.”

The controversial plans for council mergers appeared to be binned in 2016. However it was acknowledged by First Minister Carwyn Jones that there was still a “need to reorganise local government to make local government stronger and to make our town and community councils stronger.”

However in a similar response to the 2014 proposals, Wrexham Council says it “strongly opposes any future reorganisation of the authority on the basis proposed”.

A response due to be considered at the Annual Meeting of Council next Wednesday provides a detailed response to the Green Paper consultation.

The document reads: “The justification for these proposals is not considered to be adequately
supported by the information provided and just as importantly does not set outhow they will benefit the people of Wales and the areas affected.

“These proposals appear to be presented as a panacea for the problems faced by Local Government in Wales, which stems largely from the continued imposition of cuts in funding and the on-going culture of austerity.

“It is not demonstrated that these proposals will deliver a level of savings that will make
up the shortfall between what is required to provide the services and what is currently available.

“The history of re-organisation in both Local Government and other public services in Wales provides ample evidence that financial savings predicted are not realised at the levels expected, if it all.

“In order to meet the challenges that have been imposed by budget cuts and the culture of austerity the Council has sought solutions, which if built upon and further developed, will provide a more sustainable and stable model for future service provision, within the constraints imposed by falling funding. This entails working in partnership and collaboration with other Councils and organisations on a best fit basis.

“This model does not contain the dangers implicit in the proposals, which will include, financial risks, organisational upheaval, job losses and a deficit in local democracy.

“Importantly the model currently used will provide a more stable environment, both financially and organisationally and retain local accountability.”

It is also suggested that the “options outlined for direct mergers with neighbouring Authorities are considered the least acceptable”; with an enlarged Wrexham taking in areas of North Powys and South Denbighshire seen as preferred option rather than a merger with Flintshire.

The full response from Wrexham Council can be viewed here. It will be debated by councillors and voted in at the annual meeting on Wednesday 22nd May at 4pm.