PLANS to merge coroner areas in south Wales have been branded crazy by regional AM, Andrew RT Davies.

Currently, inquests are held by separate coroners in the Vale of Glamorgan, Cardiff, Bridgend, Valleys and Powys regions but under new plans those local authorities would merge the service and appoint a senior coroner for the region.

The Vale council cabinet has given the plans the go-ahead with other councils set to consider them in the coming weeks.

Vale-based AM, Andrew RT Davies, has expressed concern that a larger area would it make it extremely difficult for coroners to work with local doctors they know and trust.

“Coroners provide a vital service to bereaved relatives," he said, "Ultimately making warnings or recommendations about the hospitals they monitor.

“Expanding that area to take in six local authority regions will be hugely problematic and will undermine the principal of local knowledge.

“From a Vale perspective, families will want to have confidence that these changes will not undermine the coroner’s ability to do their job in a timely and sensitive fashion.

“Frankly, on the surface these plans are nothing short of crazy and I would urge the Vale council to reconsider their support for them.”