NEWPORT taxpayers would have to pay an extra £50 a year if a proposed merger of the city council and Monmouthshire county council went ahead a meeting was warned.

The merger proposal set out by the Welsh Government Public Services Commission would be to reduce the 22 councils in Wales to between ten and 12 by 2017/18, saving half a billion pounds over a decade.

The proposed Newport and Monmouthshire merger, which is supported by the Welsh Government's white paper published in July, will be discussed at full council in Newport on September 23 before a response is submitted to the Government.

Council leader Bob Bright warned the council's cabinet meeting on Monday the merger would "would mean an immediate increase of council tax around 6.5 per cent in Newport" but a reduction to taxpayers in Monmouthshire.

The extra 6.5 per cent would mean Newport taxpayers were liable for an additional an average £51.24 a year, the meeting was told.

Councillor Paul Cockeram said: "It's not going to be cost neutral for the people of Newport. I think they need to be clearly aware of that."

Cllr Mark Whitcutt also highlighted the "massive, crucifying increases in council tax for the residents of Newport".

A voluntary merger will mean the new authority could be in place by 2018 but mergers made by law would take until 2020 to be implemented.

Factors that the full council will need to take in to account include that a voluntary merger would also need to be agreed by Monmouthshire County Council.

The council also notes that no detail has been given as to the incentives on offer for voluntarily merging or how much a merger would cost and who will foot the bill.

The cabinet also raised issue that there had been little engagement with local government over the plans and significant errors had come to light in the data included in the white paper.

Cllr Bright added the "major errors" show "what a complete and utter mess this is" and stressed the need for a public consultation for the people of Newport to have their say on the plans.

Deputy leader Cllr Ray Truman told the cabinet meeting any decision must be one that is best for the people of Newport: "We must never ever forget them, we represent the people out there."

The cabinet have submitted their initial response to full council, who will discuss the proposals on September 23 before sending the Welsh Government feedback by October 1.