Cllr Steve Thomas, Labour group leader, said the proposal “distracts from the core issue of re-organisation”. “I do believe this is another tier, if not of local government, it’s certainly another tier of confusion,” he said. “We already have the City Deal. This is replicating what that already does and I don’t see any need for it.” Cllr Thomas said that instead of the proposal, “full and frank discussions” were needed about re-organisation amid financial pressures facing the council. An application for a voluntary merger between Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen councils was made in 2014 but the plans were rejected.