THE Vale Council’s submission to the Welsh Government for a voluntary merger with Bridgend Council was required to include “evidence there has been initial engagement with the public”.

The council’s submission admits engagement “has been on an informal or indirect basis with citizens”. Evidence presented was from a period of consultation on the councils’ budgets; together with a focus group of members of the Vale’s 50+ Strategy Forum on how best to protect council services in light of the need for significant savings.

Readers can draw their own conclusion whether that constitutes engagement with the public on this matter but it’s difficult to understand why the council could not have used the letters in the local papers or comments on social media. Perhaps it was because there is a significant body of public opinion against the council’s desire to join with Bridgend.

A snapshot survey of 100 individuals conducted by a friend provides much stronger evidence of public engagement but it does not produce the desired support for the council. Indeed, 87 per cent of respondent were dissatisfied with the council’s strategy, 86 per cent were against a merger with Bridgend, and 71 per cent were in favour of a merger with Cardiff.

It looks like the council will have an extended period in power as a result of merger proposals, i.e. another year for them to ignore the people they are supposed to be representing.

John Donovan

FocusBARRY member

Barry