Welsh public service review could herald council shake-up

19 Apr 13
Welsh local government could be reorganised again after First Minister Carwyn Jones announced a review of the way public services in Wales are governed and held accountable.

By Vivienne Russell | 19 April 2013

Welsh local government could be reorganised again after First Minister Carwyn Jones announced a review of the way public services in Wales are governed and held accountable.

Sir Paul Williams, the former chief executive of NHS Wales, will chair the Commission on Public Service Governance and Delivery.

The formation of the commission was announced in a written statement laid before the Welsh Assembly yesterday. In this, Jones said there was a ‘clear need’ to examine how public services can be maintained and improved as budgets are cut.

‘As we can see from the impact of the current financial decisions by the UK government, a healthy public sector is essential to a healthy economy.

‘The establishment of this Commission on Public Service Governance and Delivery provides an opportunity for those who are involved in delivering services, those who are politically accountable for them and users of them to examine how public services are governed,’ he said.

Although there is no explicit reference to local government in the statement, it prompted speculation that the commission will consider whether Wales has too many councils.

There are currently 22 local authorities in Wales, created less than 20 years ago, in 1996. However, some senior councillors have called for the number to be reduced substantially.

But a Welsh Government spokeswoman would only say: ‘While local government services will be included in the commission's remit, its work is a much wider exercise to improve all public services in Wales. The commission's full remit will be set out when the first minister makes a statement to the Assembly.’

The Welsh Local Government Association welcomed the establishment of the commission. WLGA leader Bob Wellington said: ‘The WLGA will await further detail on the remit of the commission but would expect all parts of Wales’ public services to be subject to examination, including the setting of strategic policy at a national level.’

He added that a debate on public services was ‘right and timely’ and had been expected for some time.

‘Indeed [it has] been championed by a number of senior local government figures in Wales,’ said Wellington. ‘The WLGA will look forward to playing a full and positive role in this.’

Williams will be assisted on the commission by: Nick Bennett, chief executive of Community Housing Cymru; former Welsh Conservative leader Nick Bourne; Plaid Cymru policy director Nerys Evans; Swansea businesswoman Juliet Luporini; broadcaster Garry Owen; and Labour councillor Alun Thomas.

 

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