AN EXTRAORDINARY full council meeting in Bridgend has seen councillors agree to formally express interest in a potential voluntary merger with the Vale Council.

Bridgend County Borough Council will contact the Welsh Government after members voted 40 to 7 in favour of exploring a potential merger on Monday, November 24.

The council must inform the Welsh Government by Friday, November 28.

Work will then begin on developing a business case in support of a voluntary merger.

Council leader, Mel Nott said: “It’s clear that council mergers will happen in Wales over the next few years, so we have had to look at this in terms of what would benefit our local residents the most – a merger with neighbouring authorities to the west, or a merger with those to the east?

“We have given the matter a lot of thought and are certain that the area would gain the most benefits from a potential merger with the Vale of Glamorgan council.

“Bridgend is already working in partnership with the Vale on services such as civil parking enforcement, CCTV coverage and regulatory services including licensing, trading standards and environmental health, and there are clear advantages in terms of education, transport, the economy, health and social care.

“With the vast majority of our residents already heading east when they travel to work, such a merger would keep the Bridgend County Borough area geographically aligned with the majority of other public services, and would mean that we could contribute to and benefit economically from the development of the Cardiff Capital City Region.

“At this stage we are just expressing interest in exploring a voluntary merger. No final decisions have been made, and a comprehensive business case will need to be agreed which will include extensive consultation, so this is just the first step on a very long ladder.”

Bridgend’s chief executive Darren Mepham added that the authority’s formal expression of interest would be sent to a special meeting of cabinet on November 28 for final approval before it is issued to the Welsh Government.

He said: “The business case will be a very detailed piece of work which will need to resolve a number of practical issues while keeping the aims of the council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy firmly in sight, so we will be keeping residents, partners, staff and trade unions fully informed as it develops.”

The Williams Commission recommended local authorities should be cut to 10, but this week Welsh Government public services minister Leighton Andrews said some Labour members had suggested six or seven.

An accountant’s report for local authorities said re-organisation of Wales’s councils could cost up to £268m, but would lead to annual savings of up to £65m after the first three years.