The Williams Commission was a missed opportunity to review public service delivery, according to the Welsh Conservatives.

Instead of narrowly focusing on “divisive” proposals for local government reform, the Welsh Government would have been better placed looking at service delivery in its entirety.

The calls come from Shadow Local Government Secretary, Janet Finch-Saunders. The Aberconwy AM was speaking at the WLGA conference at the Millennium Stadium today.

In her speech, Mrs Finch-Saunders stressed the need for future reforms to focus on improving services for hardworking families, not building new ‘empires’.

She said:

“The Williams Commission was a missed opportunity to drive through comprehensive reform of public service delivery as a whole.

“Instead of narrowly focusing on divisive, ill-considered proposals for local government reform, Welsh Labour could have taken the opportunity to reimagine the whole framework for the way public services are delivered.

“In recent years the Labour government has introduced 13 significant step change and statutory requirements for local governments to navigate and comply with.   

“That’s a sea of legislation, directive, compacts and agreements – and yet the job of reforming local government is far from done.

“It is vital that any new proposals brought forward by the current Cabinet Secretary are built on the principle of improving services for hardworking families – not building new empires.

“Most of all, the next steps need to be taken in right spirit. Not foisted upon communities with little regard for alternative viewpoints.”