Ceredigion councillors have backed a motion calling on Welsh Government to 'review and rescind' sweeping changes to town and community councils.

The full council backed calls for the Welsh Government to “reconsider and withdraw” plans for a radical shake up that will see member numbers more than halved in some new look councils, with other smaller community councils merged or scrapped and absorbed into bigger neighbours.

Last month, Aberystwyth town councillors also called for the plans to be scrapped, raising concerns on the potential impact on smaller community councils and the Welsh language.

All but one of Ceredigion’s 51 community council areas will change, many dramatically, and suffer the loss of several councillors after proposals by the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales for the new community arrangements in the county were approved by the Welsh Government last year.

After accepting the recommendations with slight tweaks following a consultation, Welsh Ministers made the official order in June to bring in the changes in time for the local council elections to be held in May next year.

Only Llanwenog Community Council will stay as it is after the next election, with councillor reductions, minor boundary changes, and council mergers to be introduced elsewhere across the county leading to the loss of 180 councillors.

Several small councils will be scrapped and folded into large neighbours.

In a motion put before the full council, Cllr Rhodri Evans, in a motion seconded by Cllr Gwyn Evans said: “During the consultation process, 236 comprehensive responses were submitted by town and community councils, organisations and individuals, amounting to approximately 470 pages.

“Of all those responses, only one supported the recommendations; all the others opposed them.

“Despite this clear evidence of local opposition, the Commission decided to maintain its recommendations.

“This creates the impression that the views of local communities have been disregarded.

“We urge the Welsh Government to reconsider and withdraw this proposal in a respectful manner and to explore alternatives that will preserve the integrity and unique identity of our community councils.”

Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Gwyn Wigley Evans described the changes as “straight out of ‘Yes Minister’,” with officers “telling the government what to do,” warning the changes would lead to clerks losing their jobs, councils their assets, and amalgamated wards increasing massively in size.

Ceredigion’s chief executive Eifion Evans stressed he was not siding on either side in the discussion but said members had previously accepted a “direction of travel” having formally approved documentation about the review process.

Cllr Elizabeth Evans, previously a member of a cross-party review on the proposed changes, said they had been assured any such alterations would be flexible, but what had materialised was a “clearly proscriptive desktop exercise”.

“It’s clear that our communities are not happy, we were given that assurance that they would be flexible; let’s just give it one go, let’s just write back [to the Minister] the changes proposed do not represent our communities.”

Members, other than one abstention, backed the notice of motion.