LOCAL Government Minister Leighton Andrews has said he will be making a statement in the Assembly tomorrow after reports that councils across Wales could be reduced from 22 to eight or nine.

Tonight he tweeted that he would not be commenting on “media speculation” after he was asked whether he had been in discussions with colleagues about reorganisation of local health boards to match new council boundaries.

It has been reported that the Welsh Government will tomorrow reveal plans to cut the the number of councils to eight or nine.

The first option would see two councils covering North Wales. The alternative model would see three councils in the region.

Both models would see large authorities covering the Gwent and West Wales areas.

The Welsh Government refused to comment on the speculation on Tuesday evening.

It has been reported that the former Gwent area consisting of Newport, Monmouthshire, Torfaen and Blaenau Gwent would re-emerge as a single authority with the addition of Caerphilly.

A single authority covering much of the old Mid Glamorgan area – Rhondda Cynon Taf to Bridgend and Merthyr Tydfil – would be formed.

Cardiff would merge with the Vale of Glamorgan, along the lines of the old South Glamorgan area.

Swansea would merge with Neath Port Talbot to form a single authority, again along the lines of the former West Glamorgan area.

The former Dyfed area could also re-emerge, covering the West Wales counties of Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion.

Powys would remain on its own, sources claimed.

In North Wales, under the two-council model Flintshire, Denbighshire and Wrexham could merge, leaving Gwynedd, Anglesey and Conwy as a single authority.

In the alternative North Wales proposal, Denbighshire would merge with Conwy, Gwynedd would merge with Anglesey and Flintshire would merge with Wrexham.