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Merging Renfrewshire with nearby local authorities to make a Greater Glasgow council would be a “democratic disaster”, according to a Paisley councillor.

A study by the University of Sheffield claims reducing the number of councils in Scotland from 32 to 17 would save money and boost efficiency.

It also suggests forming a Greater Glasgow local authority, combining Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire and East and West Dunbartonshire with the city of Glasgow.

SNP Paisley Northwest Councillor Kenny MacLaren said the idea would “harm local government in Scotland and leave Renfrewshire with poorer democratic accountability”.

He added: “Every so often some bright spark comes out with the idea of sticking councils together to make them larger while claiming that this will save money but the savings never come.

“They always seem to forget the costs of rebranding everything, introducing new management and personnel structures and other costs, never mind the fact that residents get more and more remote from the people who are meant to represent them.

“Lumping Renfrewshire in with Glasgow and the other councils mentioned, would create the largest local authority area in the UK and would lessen the voices of local residents.

“There are serious concerns that Renfrewshire lost out when our former health board was abolished and placed in with Greater Glasgow and Clyde but any move to put Renfrewshire in with a Greater Glasgow council would be a democratic disaster.”

Paisley Southeast Councillor Eddie Devine, leader of the Labour group, said the idea was “probably the most stupid suggestion I’ve heard”.

He added: “That will not happen. There would be a huge backlash if that happened. I don’t think it would go down well with any of the electorate in any of those areas.

“It wouldn’t be local government then would it? The council would be based in Glasgow and that’s not local to me.

“Local government would become a mini Scottish Parliament, which would be mental.

“I’m not saying councils shouldn’t work together but being part of that would just be a big Glasgow Council, which nobody would want.”

Renfrewshire’s leader of the Conservative group, Councillor James MacLaren, said such a change would make it difficult for elected members to represent the views of their constituents.

He said: “I much prefer to keep things localised. We already have far fewer councils compared to the rest of Europe.

“It’s difficult for councillors to get round everybody at the best of times.”

The Scottish Government has confirmed it has no plans to change council boundaries.