PLANS which could see councils in Gwent forced to merge are back on the cards.

The Welsh Government proposal could see Newport and Caerphilly councils merged into a single authority, and Blaenau Gwent, Torfaen and Monmouthshire into another.

The plan announced by local government and public services secretary Alun Davies would see the number of councils in Wales cut from 22 to 10.

It comes after plans which would have seen all five councils in Gwent merged into a single authority were ditched following the 2016 Assembly Election.

A consultation has been launched on the plans, with three possible paths being looked at.

The first would see councils able to merge voluntarily or come forward with alternative proposals. The second would see some mergers take place in 2022, and the rest in 2026, while the third would see all mergers go ahead in 2022.

In the consultation document Mr Davies said: “It is clear from the conversations we have been having, there is consensus that maintaining the status quo is not an option.

“Welsh Local Government Association representatives have themselves said that some services are wearing down to the point of collapse.”

He added spending on public services in Wales had increased by four per cent between 2010 and 2018, while in England funding had fallen by 12 per cent over the same period.

“In these circumstances, continuing with 22 authorities often doing the same things in different ways 22 times over is not sustainable,” he said.

“These issues are not new, neither is the fact that funding for public services will continue to be challenging for the foreseeable future.”

The previous merger plans championed by then-public services minister Leighton Andrews were scrapped after Labour failed to win a majority in 2016 and Mr Andrews lost his seat. New plans involving councils working closer together in areas such as health were being developed by Mark Drakeford after he was handed the local government portfolio after the election. But this too was ditched after Mr Davies took over as local government secretary in November last year.

Responding to the new proposals, a Newport City Council spokeswoman said: “While we look forward to working with the Welsh Government on the future of local government, our priority will always be to provide the best possible services for our residents.

“Councils are already working together in many different ways.

“For example, Newport works with nine other local authorities in the Cardiff Capital Region and with the other Gwent authorities on collaborations which include the Education Achievement Service.

“Care will need to be taken not to undo some of the good work that is already being done.”

She added: “A formal response to the consultation will be made in due course.”

And Torfaen County Borough Council leader Cllr Anthony Hunt said: “I look forward to continuing to discuss the future of local services with the Welsh Government.

“Torfaen has always been willing to engage fully in this issue and will continue to do so in a positive and constructive manner.

“However, we must be clear that it is cuts thanks to austerity which threatens the sustainability of local services, not the structures they operate under.

“Despite having our funding cut repeatedly in recent years, we have worked effectively with Welsh Government to protect vital services like schools and social care and to massively increase the proportion of waste recycled.

“We have also made great strides on regional working between councils - for example via the Cardiff Capital Region City Deal, or many of the shared services we run with neighbouring councils.

“We should not close off that avenue to reform, as I believe it will be of great benefit to local services.”

And a Caerphilly County Borough Council spokesman said: “We will need time to consider the details contained within the new proposals and will respond to the consultation in due course.”

But a spokesman from the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA), which represents councils across Wales, said the announcement had caused “disquiet and confusion”.

“It is not surprising that local authorities will want to clarify and digest the implications of another shift in government policy in an area where there have been a significant number of previous reports and commissions,” he said. “The proposals are yet to be fully costed and most academic analysis concludes that such reform programmes rarely deliver the savings or changes in performance that were hoped.”

But he added the organisation had already had “a number of constructive discussions” with Mr Davies and would continue these talks.

“His proposals will undoubtedly generate a full and rigorous debate,” he said.

In the meantime authorities will continue to work in developing city and growth deals at the regional level which has been fully supported by Welsh Government to date.

“Crucially, WLGA will continue to press the case for proper funding of councils. As current examples in England show scale is not an answer to the crisis in social care and deepening austerity.

“Merging authorities on the breadline to create larger authorities without the necessary resources is not a sustainable solution to the problems councils face.”

The proposals would also see Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan merged into a single authority, Bridgend, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Merthyr Tydfil into another and Swansea and Neath Port Talbot into a third.

Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire would also be merged, as would Flintshire and Wrexham, Conwy and Denbighshire and the Isle of Anglesey and Gwynedd.

Only Powys would remain a single council area.

Although there were just eight county councils in Wales before the current local government model was put in place, this operated on a two-tier system, with more than 40 borough councils responsible for more local issues such as waste collections.

Take part in the consultation, which will run until June 12, at tinyurl.com/y93rbj2g

Monmouthshire and Blaenau Gwent councils were contacted for comment.