Small councils should share staff and resources to improve services, according to the Liberal Democrats.

The Lib Dems' Welsh Assembly Government leader, Mike German, has urged councils to consider setting up joint staffing structures and budgets as part of a major overhaul of local government in Wales. He said: ‘The Beecham report posed us a question – how do you get councils to collaborate more in order to improve services? ‘I want to challenge local government to find those ideas, because one solution will not fit all. I would like to see shared budgets between councils – between councils and local health boards, with the police on crime reduction. ‘These are ways to ensure joined-up working.'