IT’S time for Leighton Andrews and the Welsh Government to come clean over the reorganisation of local councils.

It is now more than a year since the Williams Commission delivered its report on the future of local government and other public services in Wales.

It recommended a series of mergers to reduce the number of councils in Wales.

Our view – and we have repeated it many times over the last 12 months – is that the recommended mergers are simplistic and not fit for purpose.

If the Welsh Government is serious about reducing local authorities then it should be creating new ones based on economic and demographic footprints, not just bashing together existing councils that happen to be entitled to the same level of European aid.

In the last year, some councils earmarked for merger (like Newport and Monmouthshire) have simply rejected the notion.

Others have come up with their own proposals. Torfaen and Blaenau Gwent, for instance, announced they were willing to merge.

Yesterday Mr Andrews rejected their plan as it did not fit in with the Williams idea of merging the two councils with Caerphilly.

This whole process has become a farce.

If Mr Andrews believes it is the Williams way or the highway then he should say so and put an end to more pointless consultations.