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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Councils 'to be cut to eight' by Welsh ministers | Councils 'to be cut to eight' by Welsh ministers |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Plans to cut the number of Welsh councils from 22 to single figures will be published on Wednesday. | Plans to cut the number of Welsh councils from 22 to single figures will be published on Wednesday. |
| BBC Wales understands ministers want a structure modelled on pre-1996 arrangements, when Wales had eight county councils. | BBC Wales understands ministers want a structure modelled on pre-1996 arrangements, when Wales had eight county councils. |
| It is understood Public Services Minister Leighton Andrews will set out the case for eight councils. | It is understood Public Services Minister Leighton Andrews will set out the case for eight councils. |
| Mr Andrews is also expected to leave open the option of a nine-council map. | Mr Andrews is also expected to leave open the option of a nine-council map. |
| But with elections to the assembly next May, and opposition parties sceptical of the Welsh government's plans, a question mark hangs over whether the reforms will be enacted. | But with elections to the assembly next May, and opposition parties sceptical of the Welsh government's plans, a question mark hangs over whether the reforms will be enacted. |
| The eight-council model would see the return of historic counties such as Dyfed - re-merging Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion - and West Glamorgan, joining Swansea once more with Neath Port Talbot. | The eight-council model would see the return of historic counties such as Dyfed - re-merging Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion - and West Glamorgan, joining Swansea once more with Neath Port Talbot. |
| A Plaid Cymru spokesman said: "As expected, the Welsh government is focusing solely on a simplistic rearrangement of boundaries. | |
| "Plaid Cymru believes that such an approach will not improve the delivery of public services and runs the risk of destabilising and demotivating local government at this crucial time." | |
| 'Shambles' | |
| The plans have already proved controversial, with Labour leaders of local authorities calling for the idea to be put to one side until after next year's election. | The plans have already proved controversial, with Labour leaders of local authorities calling for the idea to be put to one side until after next year's election. |
| The announcement comes 18 months after an independent cross-party commission suggested cutting the number of councils to either 10, 11 or 12. | The announcement comes 18 months after an independent cross-party commission suggested cutting the number of councils to either 10, 11 or 12. |
| The Welsh government offered councils the chance to merge voluntarily, but three sets of proposed mergers were rejected by Mr Andrews in January. | |
| Welsh Conservative shadow minster for local government, Janet Finch-Saunders, described the process as "a shambles from start to finish". | |
| She added: "Councils should not be forced to merge. It won't work and it's a one-way ticket to disaster. | |
| "This lame excuse for reform will see us jump back in time to a structure long confined to the history books. All this does is serve their own narrow political self-interest." | |
| PROPOSED NEW COUNCILS | PROPOSED NEW COUNCILS |
| * There could be further consultation on merging Conwy and Denbighshire to create an additional council in north Wales. | * There could be further consultation on merging Conwy and Denbighshire to create an additional council in north Wales. |
| THE CHANGING FACE OF WALES | THE CHANGING FACE OF WALES |