There are some problems in international politics that it seems can’t be solved, despite the best efforts of world leaders, non-governmental organisations and assorted experts. There are also domestic issues which although they may be less exciting also seem unsolvable. There may be agreement that change is needed but no-one can agree on what it should look like so no-one is happy with the potential solutions.
The structure of local government in Wales seems to be one of those topics where many have tried and no one has yet succeeded. There were major reorganisations in 1974, when the system based on the 13 shire counties, boroughs and districts were replaced with a uniform structure where 8 counties with districts and boroughs beneath them. There was another in 1996 where 22 all-purpose authorities were created but since then there have been several proposals for changes ranging from joint corporate committees, city regions, voluntary ad hoc mergers and full scale restructuring.
Following his retirement after a long a varied career in the Civil Service, Sir Guildhaume Myrddin-Evans was asked to chair a commission to make proposals for changes to the structure of local government in Wales. This was the first comprehensive review of local government in Wales since elected county councils took over local administration from the quarter sessions following the Local Government Act of 1888, and while many had expected it only to consider small changes to boundaries and whether authorities should have borough or county borough status, its recommendations were far reaching.
The 32 files found in Sub-fonds B of Sir Guildhaume Myrddin-Evans’ papers are a mix of papers and include detailed reports on the workings as well as the strengths and weaknesses of various county and county borough and borough councils in Wales following administrative visits by members of the commission.
The note the desire of Rhondda Borough Council to be promoted to a County Borough which would have made it responsible for many of the services provided by Glamorgan County Council and the concerns raised by the Commission about the authority’s viability due to a falling population and the decline of the coal industry.
The documents contain some fascinating facts about the scope of work undertaken by local councils at the time, including the licencing of drivers and motor vehicles. In the small county of Radnor for example, 4,578 driving licences and 8,658 Vehicle Excise Licences were issued by the council in 1958.
An over-arching theme from the councils’ responses to the Commission was that they saw no need for significant change except minor boundary revisions, usually to enlarge the authority in question. A quote from the meeting note with Cardigan County Council in file B1/4 is a classic example of this:
“While agreeing that, in theory, amalgamation should produce more effective and economic administration, the council expressed strong opposition to any amalgamation or division affecting Cardiganshire and maintained that geographical barriers and extended communications made any larger area administratively impractical.”
Joint working arrangements were already in place between Radnor, Brecon and Montgomery and some other smaller councils and there was a great deal of consideration given to Merthyr Tydfil’s status as a County Borough, despite its population being below the guide of 100,000 for County Borough status and its ability to deliver services.
The most radical proposals came from smaller authorities, such as those of Crickhowell Rural District Council, who proposed creating new south east and south west Wales authorities and Aberystwyth Borough Council which suggested 6 authorities roughly reflecting the post 1974 counties of Gwynedd, Clwyd and Gwent, retaining Glamorgan and creating a west Wales authority based on Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and south Ceredigion and a mid-Wales authority based on modern day Powys along with north Ceredigion.
When Sir Guildhaume’s commission reported in 1962, its proposals were indeed very radical, calling for 7 counties with Anglesey alone untouched and Merthyr Tydfil losing its County Borough status. The scheme was too radical however and became the first in a long line of Welsh local government reform proposals that remained just that.
Rob Phillips
The Welsh Political Archive
Category: Article