WITH the Public Services Minister Leighton Andrews telling opponents of his merger plans to "grow up", Welsh Conservative Leader and regional Vale AM Andrew RT Davies has said that speculation of a Labour and Plaid agreement on reforms is "further evidence" of the Welsh Assembly Government's intentions to "abolish the Vale".

Speaking in the Senedd yesterday (Wednesday, February 10) Mr Andrews said that it was "unsustainable" to continue disagreeing over plans to merge the 22 Welsh councils into eight larger authorities, plans which intend to see the Vale of Glamorgan Council merge with Cardiff Council.

He added that opponents of the proposals need to "grow up, bluntly" and that plans need to be in motion as soon as possible following the elections in May.

Mr Andrews also spoke about how an agreement between Labour and Plaid Cymru - the "two political parties who provide the leadership of the bulk of local government in Wales" - is likely the best way of taking the reform forward.

The Vale of Glamorgan's Labour group itself has long been opposed to the plans, preferring to remain a stand alone council or, in the case of a forced merger, to join with Bridgend Council rather than Cardiff.

Speaking after the publication of the official reform Draft Bill in November, Vale council leader Neil Moore said: "My position as Leader of the Vale of Glamorgan Council on local government reform has not changed. A merger of the Vale of Glamorgan Council with Cardiff was untenable in June and is even more so today.

"There can be no rationale for merging the highest performing local authority in Wales, the Vale of Glamorgan Council, with Cardiff."

Speaking today, Vale regional AM Andrew RT Davies said that Mr Andrews' latest comments were "the clearest indication yet that his party are planning to tie up a deal with Plaid Cymru after the election in May, which will abolish the Vale of Glamorgan."

Mr Davies, who is spearheading a Welsh Conservative "Save the Vale" campaign in response to the plans, said: "Leighton Andrews’ comments on local government reform tell us all we need to know about the cosy relationship between Labour and Plaid which puts our unique identity in the Vale of Glamorgan on the line.

“Everything is being set up for a grubby deal after the election and for all their talk of change, the nationalist cannot be trusted not to prop up Labour yet again."

He added that the Welsh Conservative group would give local people the final say on any merger plans, were they in Government at the Assembly.

“Labour’s arrogant approach to council reorganisation tramples on that principle of consent, and places our unique local identity under threat," he said.