Caerphilly County Borough Council could merge with neighbouring Torfaen and Blaenau Gwent, under plans to reorganise Wales’ 22 local authorities.
The Williams Commission said Wales needed a radical reform of public services with ten, 11 or 12 councils.
The commission, established in April 2013 by the First Minister and chaired by Sir Paul Williams, was tasked with examining all aspects of public services in Wales and making recommendations on their future direction.
Sir Paul Williams said: “We are very clear that public services in Wales face severe and prolonged challenges.
“The effects of recession and austerity on public sector budgets will continue to be felt for many years. At the same time, our population is changing, meaning that the need for some of our most intensive and costly public services is bound to grow.
“That creates twin and conflicting pressures – demand for public services is growing, through demographic change and increasing public expectations, while resources to provide them are falling. These pressures are nobody’s fault, but they will be felt by all of us.
“Radical change is needed for public services to survive in a viable and sustainable form. We cannot deny or ignore current and future challenges.
“Instead, we need a public sector which can rise to meet them. We need a radical shift, which will mean fundamental changes to structures, roles and programmes across the Welsh public sector.”
First Minister Carwyn Jones said: “This report addresses many issues that are critical at a time when the need for public services is outstripping the resources available to provide them.
“I have always been clear that the status quo is not an option.”
Cllr Harry Andrews, leader of Caerphilly County Borough Council said, “This is a significant review which has far reaching consequences for the whole of Wales. We now need time to carefully consider the report’s findings and assess the potential impact on key areas such as costs, jobs, service delivery and local democracy.
“It is vitally important that all stakeholders have the opportunity to fully debate the proposals and provide detailed feedback to the Welsh Government before any decisions are reached.”
That`s good news then? at least the governance issues it is currently suffering from may be improved upon by learning from other authorities who clearly do things better than Caerphilly Council. The previous mark of top quality management and governance, earned by former senior staff,has been lost by the current difficulties Caerphilly Council are going through, simply merging Caerphilly with other `better` run authorities may do the trick of drawing a line under the current difficulties.
I don`t think Caerphilly Councillors and senior managers should fight to hard to retain the status quo, and against these proposals.
Trefor, it's Torfaen and Blaenau Gwent we're talking about. Hardly paragons of virtue in the Council stakes. Even Labour led Caerphilly could, probably, hold their head up in that company.
A council made up of Caerffili merged with Torfaen and Blainau Gwent would make a permananent Labour controlled authority, if voting habits remained as before. I bet this has not escaped the notice of Plaid Cymru and I expect that they will fight tooth and nail to prevent a new council being formed on these lines. If they do wake up to this prospect and fight it I would be on their side, not because I am anti Labour but because I am pro democracy.
Personally I would go back to the well proven system of a county council, Glamorgan County Council in Caerffili's (meaning the town) case. We have never been part of Gwent historically and should not be involved in Gwent now. This would be supported by district councils which would see a reurn of the old Caerphilly Urban District Council, or CUDC. This model worked pretty well and the re-organisation of 1974 and the subsequent one, where CCBC was born, have not been outstanding sucesses.
Plaid Cymru could become the third party under the above system although there are no such thing as safe seats and voting habits do change over time. This usualy occurs when people become fed up of the complacent nature of councillors representing a party for a generation without serious challenge. This happened in some places in Caerfilli in 2012.
Arthur, voting habits in south Wales valley's seldom change. We've had a century of Labour and just look where it's got us. Tying in with the other two Labour controlled poverty stricken Councils will do nothing for Caerphilly.
A corrupt council, an incompetent council and Torfaen I believe in special measures.
GOD HELP US, Labour never will.
Mr P Jones