MONMOUTHSHIRE councillors today debated plans to merge the county with other authorities in Gwent.

Members voiced different views about any potential direction the authority could recommend.

Council leader Peter Fox said the merger plans were "unhelpful" especially as they were trying "to manage very difficult times we’ve had and we will have for years.” He added he believed the whole idea of mergers is simplistic; it’s unsophisticated. It pushes local authorities together."

Some, like Cllr Tony Easson said he supported a broader Gwent proposal, While Cllr Sara Jones said she is worried the plans will be "bulldozed without listening to our residents".

The council’s Liberal Democrat deputy leader, Phil Hobson, said he opposed the Welsh Government’s position of reorganising local government to cut costs, because of inevitable disruption.

He said he favoured working together instead.

Cllr Hobson said: “It is going to take 10 years for local government to recover.

“We have local authorities collaborating. We have all worked together because of a lack of capacity. There is a way of how you club together for the mutual interest.”

As part of the government- commissioned Williams Report, it has been advised the two councils merge as Welsh councils are reduced from 22 to 10 or 12. Newport council has already voted to oppose a merger with Monmouthshire.

Authorities have been warned they risk being merged even if they disagree.

But Labour councillor Peter Farley said he did not think people were served well by smaller councils.

He said: “We are quite happy to see a merger with Newport although we recognise they are not keen. Small authorities are just not viable.”

The Independent group’s leader Cllr Simon Howarth said he was unsure.

While Conservative St Kingsmark councillor David Dovey said he backs the leader’s vision of a city region for South East Wales.

On Monday Torfaen and Blaenau Gwent cabinet members agreed to support a merger but the full councils will need to agree.