Today (Friday) is the deadline for Pembrokeshire County Council to submit ideas for voluntary mergers with other local authorities to Welsh Government public services minister Leighton Andrews.

Mr Andrews is backing a Williams Commission recommendation that the 22 county councils be cut to around 10, or even as few as six.

Pembrokeshire County Council set up a cross party working group to discuss the “advantages and disadvantages of a merger with another authority”.

Previous discussions had indicated if a merger was necessary Ceredigion would be the preferred authority.

Ceredigion Council had previously voted to keep its “sovereignty.

“That working group has met several times and has agreed a position which will be conveyed to the Minister in the timeline provided," said a council spokesman.

“The group was practically unanimous in seeking to ensure that services to the people of Pembrokeshire were at the heart of any decision regarding a merger.”