Councillors in Conwy have voted to reject Welsh Government plans that would see the number of local authorities in the country slashed.

In March the government brought back plans to merge councils in a Green Paper it published at the time.

The proposals would see Wales go from having 22 county councils to 10. This could include plans that could see Conwy merge with Denbighshire to form one county.

But the reponse from councillors in Conwy to the scheme, at a meeting of the full council,  was scathing Council leader, Gareth Jones said: “I do feel that this reform does not address the huge problems that face us here in Conwy and other councils in Wales.

"The fact that we have to do more with less resources we need an answer to that problem. And as we know this year we’ve found £11m to address that deficit, we’re looking for at least £13m next year. That’s the problem, how do you address that?

"We still need to ensure that we provide the best services but there are less and less resources for that. The answer is not in reform, looking at a map or boundaries here and there.  What is important is what is done within those boundaries. This Green Paper does not do that.”

This is the second time in four years that the government has proposed cutting the number of councils.

Denbighshire and Conwy had been the first counties in North Wales to move towards a voluntary merger under previous plans but this was rejected by Cardiff in 2015.