NEWPORT councillors are due to discuss a proposed merger of the city council with Monmouthshire County Council at a meeting today.

Earlier this month, cabinet members decided to consult full council before putting together a response on proposals set out in the Welsh Government White Paper on reforming local government.

The merger proposal, which supports a Newport and Monmouthshire union, would be to reduce the 22 councils in Wales to between ten and 12 by 2017-18, which the Welsh Government claims would save half a billion pounds over a decade.

Councillors will also comment on an alternative proposal set out by the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) for the creation of four combined authorities.

Members have been asked to consider the impact on the communities of Newport if the proposals are implemented.

Council leader Bob Bright warned cabinet members on September 8 that Newport taxpayers would see their council tax increase by 6.5 per cent if the merger was implemented.

A voluntary merger will mean the new authority could be in place by 2018 but mergers made by law would take until 2020 to be implemented.

Councillors need to agree a response by October 1.