Residents in Powys could be used as “guinea pigs” over a planned merger between two of the county’s biggest employers, it has been claimed.

Civic leaders have now called for a public debate on plans to merge Powys County Council and Powys Local Health Board.

It follows on from a report released last week to members of the county council’s board, which recommended the organisations should pursue a merger.

The report was commissioned by the county council and health board in an attempt to find out how they could work together much more closely.

Talks had already been held on the possibility of forming a “partnership” under one chief executive.

At the moment both organisations are operating under temporary chief executives – Jeremy Patterson for the county council and Judith Paget for the LHB.

Councillor Joy Jones, Mayor of Newtown, today said she feared residents would be “kept in the dark” over proposals.

“I am concerned that there may be major problems with this merger. As in my opinion it is one failing organisation taking over another failing organisation,” she said.

“This is the first time this sort of merger has ever been done and it concerns me that Powys residents could be used as guinea pigs,” she added.

The county council and Powys LHB will meet in September to discuss the potential benefits of such a move.

Chris Mann, chairman of Powys Local Health Board, said that the merger would bring Powys to the front of groundbreaking improvements in public services.