Dear all,
In response to today’s Welsh Government’s statement on local government reorganisation – http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-43472521?ns_mchannel=social&ns_campaign=wales_politics&ns_source=twitter&ns_linkname=wales,
please find below our statement:
Labour’s Deputy Leader, Rob James, stated, ‘Welsh Government Ministers’ continued obsession with cutting the number of Councils in Wales has eroded local authorities’ ability to plan for the future.
‘Just last month, the Cabinet Secretary for Local Government and Public Services, Alun Davies, stated that the Welsh Government should apologise to local councils for hectoring them in the past and I am pleased that the Cabinet Secretary will now be engaging with local communities on this very matter.
“The view that larger councils are cheaper and more efficient has obtained folklore status and I do not subscribe to the view that we must centralise local government across Wales.
“Devolution must not stop at Cardiff Bay. Every town, village and community must be empowered to decide their own future. Reducing the number of Councils to the number suggested, and creating a large remote local authority replicating the old Dyfed council, will result in communities across West Wales having less of a say on the day to day issues that impact them – social services, education, refuge and street cleaning etc.
If you would like to discuss the story more, please feel free to contact me on the details below.
Kind Regards,
CLLR ROB JAMES
County Councillor for Lliedi
Carmarthenshire County Council
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