WELSH councils will not be forced to merge, but will be asked to work on a more regional basis, Ceredigion County Council’s leader has said.

Cllr Ellen ap Gwynn and council chief executive Bronwen Morgan met with Mark Drakeford, the Cabinet secretary for local government, as part of a series of meetings Mr Drakeford held with representatives of councils.

During the meeting, Mr Drakeford ruled out proceeding with controversial plans that would have seen Ceredigion council forced into a merger to reform the old Dyfed area. But he said he was keen to see greater regional working, not just between councils, but between other organisations as well.

Cllr ap Gwynn has welcomed the assurance that Ceredigion council will continue as an authority.

She said: “Mark Drakeford, the new Cabinet secretary for finance and local government, met with myself and the chief executive during his round of meetings with all local government leaders in Wales.

“His main message was that he will not continue with the previous minister’s plans to re-organise local government due to strong opposition and the cost of such an exercise; a message that was warmly welcomed by my colleagues both here in Ceredigion and around Wales."

See this week’s south editions for the full story, in shops and online tomorrow