PLANS which could see the number of councils in Wales cut from 22 to 10 should "go back to the drawing board", a Gwent AM has said.

The revamped proposals, which could see Newport and Caerphilly merged into a single authority, and Blaenau Gwent, Torfaen and Monmouthshire into another, was unveiled by the Welsh Government's local government and public services secretary Alun Davies in March.

But they have been met with a mixed response from local authorities in Wales.

And, addressing Mr Davies in the Assembly this week, Monmouth AM Nick Ramsay said: “Do you think it would be an opportune time to go back to the drawing board to come forward with proposals that local authorities themselves can have some buy-in to, maybe looking at the prospect of an ever-closer local government union, stronger collaboration, and to put voluntary mergers back on the agenda, as some local authorities were looking forward to going down that line?”

Saying “local authorities clearly have their own views on the future of local government”, Mr Davies replied: “I've said on many occasions that it is my point and purpose to seek agreement wherever that is possible rather than to impose.

“I've outlined to this place and elsewhere a vision of a stronger, more empowered local government with greater powers and greater ability to shape the future of the communities that it seeks to represent.

“I do not wish to diminish local government in any way."

Islwyn’s Rhianon Passmore called on Mr Davies to listen to feedback from Caerphilly County Borough Council leader Cllr David Poole and Cllr Debbie Wilcox, who leads both the Welsh Local Government Association and Newport City Council, both of whom have opposed the plans.

Mr Davies replied he had already had a number of conversations with both Cllrs Poole and Wilcox and Poole and was continuing to meet with them.

"I think it's fair to say that (Cllr Poole) agrees with a great deal of our vision for the future and that he recognises that the current structures are not sustainable," he said.

"I think most local authority leaders understand that the current structures we have of local government are simply not sustainable into the future, whatever the issues with the financial envelope available to us.

"What I seek to do now is to pursue a conversation that is about how we will strengthen local government in the future."

Three possible paths are 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.

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.

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