JUST a week after Pembrokeshire County Council suggested it was not interested in a merger with Ceredigion - and days after Ceredigion councillors unanimously rejected the idea - Pembrokeshire leader Jamie Adams now wants talks between the two authorities.

Last week, when the Western Telegraph asked PCC if it was interested in a voluntary merger with Ceredigion the word came back that councillors believed 'local authority mergers to be unnecessary."

Just days later, Ceredigion councillors wholeheartedly rejected any merger. Ceredigion council leader Ellen ap Gwynn said: "A business case does not exist to support a merger between Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire."

She added: "The proposal does not make geographical sense and grave concern was expressed regarding the cultural and linguistic difference between the two counties."

But, on Monday, Cllr Adams changed the council's stance. “It is now clear that Welsh Government intend to legislate to force reorganisation upon us” he said.

“While I do not agree that local government reorganisation is necessary, it would be foolish to ignore the fact that it is likely to happen.

“I intend to establish a cross-party working group of councillors to consider the merits of a voluntary merger with Ceredigion County Council.

“I understand that Ceredigion Councillors are opposed to a merger, and I respect their point of view. However, I do not think this is an issue that we can, or should, ignore.

“We have spent too long recently looking in at ourselves. "It is high time that we raised our heads and started to plan for what’s coming down the track towards us.”

Under the recommendations of the Williams Commission, the number of local authorities in Wales will drop from 22 to either 10 or 12. Another option including Pembrokeshire is the return of the old 'Dyfed' model, with a merger involving Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire.