Welsh First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth said on Monday that the government will examine the powers held by local councils, aiming to produce a green paper by the end of his term and, if agreed, a bill from the next Welsh government after the 2030 election.
Speaking at Cardiff University, ap Iorwerth described the review as a step toward a more coherent and streamlined system of local and regional governance that keeps decision‑making close to the people affected. He added that the process would involve a detailed assessment of where powers and specific competences should lie, how regional working can be improved and what effective cooperation looks like.
The minister is scheduled to meet UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham later this month. Burnham has called for greater devolution of powers to local authorities, a request that ap Iorwerth is prepared to discuss. He rejected claims that he was offering a quid pro quo, noting that the UK’s devolution agenda largely reflects England’s priorities.
Ap Iorwerth criticised the UK government’s duplication of economic development work in Wales, citing city and growth deals, levelling‑up funds and other programmes that have layered on top of devolved responsibilities. He urged a practical agreement on how the two governments could work together to unlock Wales’ economic potential.
He clarified that he does not seek to eliminate city and growth deals, which fund local projects across Wales. Instead, he wants to assess what works well and how the system can be improved.
By examining the distribution of powers and the effectiveness of regional cooperation, ap Iorwerth aims to position Wales for a more efficient local governance framework while keeping the conversation open before the next election.
