…with consequences
The Welsh government today has rejected the voluntary merger of Denbighshire and Conwy councils. What are the implications on Rhuthun/Ruthin?
First, let's look at the decision.
This was clearly something of a surprise to Denbighshire's politicians and its leader, Llanelidan's Hugh Evans, was "astounded".
All the evidence for a merger was there. A year ago, the Williams Commission paired the two. Then in a July 2014 government white paper called "Reforming Local Government", the then minister Leslie Griffiths said,
Meanwhile, last month, new minister Leighton Andrews rather publicly rebuked Wrecsam for not endorsing a voluntary merger with its willing Williams partner, Flintshire. It wasn't what he said about Wrecsam's position, it was what Andrews didn't:
Could it therefore be that the current minister in criticising the Conwy-Denbighshire merger plan as lacking vision and consultation be the result of a change of heart at the top that will see six councils rather than 12 Williams pairs? Evans thinks so:
So, what indeed are the consequences for Rhuthun? Under a Conwy-Denbighshire merger, it was unlikely that Rhuthun would retain its county town status but it could have played some part. If there were to be a bigger merger—and we'd now put our money on Denbighshire-Flintshire-Wrecsam—then the Flintshire-Wrecsam industrial axis would completely sideline rural Denbighshire, leaving it in a 1974 position—a forgotten outpost or also-ran.
Either way, Rhuthun's status will slip. Under a wider merger, it may slip entirely. And if you think it doesn't matter or you feel you couldn't care less, what will happen to those private sector jobs supported directly & indirectly by County Hall staff. What will happen to house prices as fewer people move in as more move out. In short, what will happen to the area's economy and prosperity…
The Welsh government today has rejected the voluntary merger of Denbighshire and Conwy councils. What are the implications on Rhuthun/Ruthin?
First, let's look at the decision.
This was clearly something of a surprise to Denbighshire's politicians and its leader, Llanelidan's Hugh Evans, was "astounded".
"We consider that the Commission’s first option, leading to 12 Local Authorities, provides a coherent overall template"Option 1 foresaw Denbighshire & Conwy merging. First Denbighshire then Conwy warmed to the idea, sought agreement and submitted an expression of interest by the due date.
"Wrecsam will be part of a council merger in the future and I think it would be sensible if they started to engage with the process"The media reported this as suggesting Wrecsam should talk with Flintshire but Andrews didn't say that. Wrecsam needed to engage with a process that would lead to a merger. What particular merger? With whom? Indeed, even earlier, in late November 2014, there was a suggestion from some in the government that the Williams mergers didn't go far enough and the number of resultant councils should shrink from Williams's 12 to six.
"The Minister clearly has a different map in mind and it would have been fairer to us for this to have been made clear"What the minister now appears to focus on is partnerships across all of the public sector—local government, health, education. It also means that any meaningful local government reorganisation that would have taken place in merged situations from 2018 and outside the merger process in 2020 will likely now go ahead no earlier than 2022—seven years from now
So, what indeed are the consequences for Rhuthun? Under a Conwy-Denbighshire merger, it was unlikely that Rhuthun would retain its county town status but it could have played some part. If there were to be a bigger merger—and we'd now put our money on Denbighshire-Flintshire-Wrecsam—then the Flintshire-Wrecsam industrial axis would completely sideline rural Denbighshire, leaving it in a 1974 position—a forgotten outpost or also-ran.
Either way, Rhuthun's status will slip. Under a wider merger, it may slip entirely. And if you think it doesn't matter or you feel you couldn't care less, what will happen to those private sector jobs supported directly & indirectly by County Hall staff. What will happen to house prices as fewer people move in as more move out. In short, what will happen to the area's economy and prosperity…