Powys to stay as a standalone local authority
Powys will continue as a standalone local authority under a planned shake-up by the Welsh Assembly.
It has been recommended that the county council will continue operating as it is now.
But Russell George, who is a county councillor for Newtown and the region's AM, said he wants the Welsh government to give the county more funding.
Under the scheme some councils could face a merger with other authorities to share services and governance.
Mr George said: "I welcome the decision to retain Powys as a standalone local authority which reflects the unique nature of delivering local services over a large, sparsely populated, rural area.
"However, we also need to know what will happen to the wider funding formula for local government. The challenge of delivering a range of public services over such a wide geographic area remains an issue.
"I believe Powys is considerably underfunded compared to other local authorities in Wales. This issue has been further exacerbated by poor funding settlements over the last seven years, where Powys has, year-on-year, received one of the largest budget cuts of any local authority in Wales.
"I am also keen to ensure that a democratic deficit isn't allowed to develop by stealth through creeping centralisation. I have long been a champion of localism and would like to see the devolution of power to local people to make decisions over their own communities.
"Decisions should be taken and services delivered much closer to the heart of local communities."
Leighton Andrews, the Welsh Assembly's minister for public services, said more than 3,000 people took part in a consultation into the plans.
He added: "I want to emphasise this is not a final decision. It is the next phase in discussions. Following discussion of these options, we will publish and consult on a draft 'mergers and reform' bill in the autumn.
"This will include further, formal consultation on our proposals for local authority mergers and include a regulatory impact assessment. It will also provide a formal opportunity for consultation on the Welsh Government's preference for the future configuration of Local Government in Wales."
