FORCING county councils in Wales to merge could lead to savings of up to £650m in a ten-year period, the Welsh Government has claimed.

Public Services Minister Leighton Andrews wants to slash the number of councils from 22 to either 12, nine or eight councils with the proposals including the reformation of the old Dyfed authority if the Welsh Government’s preferred option of eight or nine authorities is chosen.

While the suggestion has been greeted with opposition in both Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire, Mr Andrews has insisted it is the only way to protect council services in future years amid warnings that austerity measures will hit council budgets even further in future years.

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