7. Welsh Conservatives Debate: Local government reform

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:56 pm on 25 April 2018.

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Photo of Alun Davies Alun Davies Labour 5:56, 25 April 2018

For the second time in a few months I'm left speechless, Deputy Presiding Officer. I seem to have left my floral tributes in another place, and I'm left only with my wit and wisdom. So, this could be a very short contribution. [Laughter.] But I will answer the point because I thought it was a very interesting and thoughtful speech that we've just heard from Suzy Davies, who did challenge me, I felt, in a very fair and reasonable way. We do not wish, of course, to impose. We wish to reach agreement. And there is agreement, actually, and there is agreement across local government and, I believe—. We heard from the UKIP spokesperson this afternoon, and we've heard in other places politicians on all sides of the Chamber, recognising that the current structures we have are not sustainable. And, in the first meeting I had with the WLGA in Cardiff city hall back in November, the WLGA themselves were very, very clear then that the current structures are not sustainable: 22 local authorities in a country of 3 million people is simply not a sustainable structure, and that is—