The Welsh government will undertake a comprehensive examination of local authority powers and how councils collaborate across regions, First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth announced on Monday evening. Speaking at Cardiff University, he indicated that this review could result in new legislation following the 2030 election. According to BBC News, ap Iorwerth is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Andy Burnham later in October to discuss these matters.
The first minister has previously sought greater devolution for Wales, requesting powers over policing, justice, rail infrastructure and the Crown Estate. He stressed that his examination of council powers does not constitute a bargaining arrangement with the prime minister, despite Burnham's stated position that Cardiff should transfer more authority to local bodies.
In his address at Cardiff University's Glamorgan building, ap Iorwerth articulated his vision for governance reform.
Where power can sit as closely to the people it affects, it should,he stated. He acknowledged that current arrangements require improvement while cautioning against assuming English solutions would suit Wales.
The first minister committed to publishing a green paper before the end of the current parliamentary term. According to the Welsh Government, the proposed Green Paper is intended to help develop a new regional map and an implementation plan, with local government, regional partners, public services and the public involved. This would be followed by the possibility of legislation from the next Welsh government after 2030.
Ap Iorwerth described the exercise as
a detailed, meaningful exercise reflecting on where powers and specific competences should lie, how regional working works best and what effective cooperation looks like.He emphasised the need to establish a strong foundation for reflection on what functions effectively and where reform is necessary before the current term concludes.
What is driving the governance review?
The first minister highlighted concerns about duplication and fragmentation in Wales's economic development landscape. Economic development powers are already devolved to the Welsh government, yet ap Iorwerth argued that successive UK government programmes have created confusion.
A succession of UK government programmes has been layered on top of devolved responsibilities and in some cases undermining them,he explained.
Some have funded worthwhile projects. Some have brought genuine benefits. But, taken together, they have made the landscape more complicated, more fragmented and more difficult to navigate.
He cited city and growth deals, along with the former Conservative administration's levelling up and shared prosperity fund initiatives, as examples of this layering.
If powers have been devolved, central government should not continue to duplicate them,ap Iorwerth said. When pressed to clarify, he indicated he was not advocating for the elimination of city and growth deals—of which four exist in Wales—but rather sought to identify what functions well and how improvements could be made.
How does this relate to UK devolution policy?
The first minister questioned whether the UK government's devolution agenda extends beyond England.
The devolution programme that we're hearing from Andy Burnham is largely an England programme. What I want to do is find common ground with him.He suggested that Downing Street's devolution strategy might halt at Offa's Dyke, the border between Wales and England.
Ap Iorwerth stated his preference for a
practical agreement about how our two governments work together to unlock Wales' economic potential.The Welsh Government has indicated that ap Iorwerth will propose a "partnership for growth" with the UK Government, including less duplication and a Welsh-led approach when powers are devolved.
What is the context for local government reform?
Wales's 22 principal councils and eligible community councils have operated under expanded powers since the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021, which granted them a general power of competence and established a framework for regional collaboration through Corporate Joint Committees. Welsh councils have warned they must not be excluded from devolution discussions as Prime Minister Andy Burnham pledges deeper powers for UK regions, with local government leaders emphasising that councils should be central to economic growth strategies.
What happens next?
The first minister's meeting with Prime Minister Burnham is scheduled for the National Economic Council later in October 2026. The prime minister is due to visit south Wales on 19 October 2026 to mark the 60th anniversary of the Aberfan disaster, providing an opportunity for the two leaders to discuss devolution matters. Following these discussions, the Welsh government will develop the green paper examining council powers and regional governance arrangements, setting the stage for potential legislative action after the 2030 election.
