Get the biggest stories sent straight to your inbox Sign up for regular updates and breaking news from WalesOnline Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

The clock is ticking on Brexit with under eight months to go before Britain leaves the European Union.

But with just 228 days before the looming March 29 deadline, many of Wales' 22 councils have not prepared reports assessing the likely impact of Brexit on their regions.

That's despite at least 30 councils across the UK- including Pembrokeshire and the Isle of Anglesey- taking the initiative to produce analysis on what Brexit will mean for the delivery of public services.

Pembrokeshire County Council is warning of the impact on possible border controls, loss of employees and EU funding, while the Isle of Anglesey is urging the need for an open border with Ireland amid fears of delays at the Port of Holyhead.

Other councils - such as Cardiff - say they are producing reports but could not say when they would be finished.

While others say they are working with the Welsh Local Government Association and would not be preparing a bespoke reports on the impact of Brexit in their areas.

A Welsh Government-funded ‘Brexit transition support programme’ will be delivered by April 2019, which will aim to ensure all local authorities are equally prepared for Brexit, the WLGA has said.

A WLGA spokesman said: “The programme aims to ensure Welsh local authorities are not duplicating work in preparing for Brexit, ensure all local authorities in Wales are equally prepared for Brexit in key sectors, and to establish a more formalised, two-way programme of communication between local authorities and those planning for Brexit in the Welsh and UK Governments.

“Depending on the outcome of the EU summit in October, and any possible emergency summits before Christmas, activities in the second half of this programme may need to focus on the implications of a ‘No Deal’ Brexit on public services and communities.”

The WLGA added a ‘no deal’ Brexit would be a “disastrous outcome” that needed to be avoided at all costs.

We asked each of Wales' 22 councils whether they had any reports assessing the impact of Brexit. This is what they said:

Blaenau Gwent

A council spokesperson said: “We have not prepared a Brexit Impact Study here in Blaenau Gwent as yet, but we are continuing to engage with the Welsh Government through policy and information networks and have responded to a number of their consultations. Further work is now planned for the Autumn.”

Bridgend

Bridgend Council said it has not yet prepared a Brexit impact statement.

“The potential impact of Brexit is something that we are currently considering as a council,” a spokesman said.

Caerphilly

A Caerphilly council spokesperson said, “We continue to work with the WLGA, Welsh Government and colleagues in other Welsh councils to consider the impact of Brexit as it becomes clearer, and what steps can be taken to mitigate this impact in our communities.”

Cardiff

Cardiff council said it does not have a Brexit impact assessment yet, but it is preparing one.

A spokesman said: “The council is monitoring the situation and preparing an assessment, clearly there are challenges but it is too early at this point to say any more.”

Cardiff council published a report in March 2017 with other public sector partners about the impact of Brexit on Cardiff.

The report said Wales receives around £680million in EU finding every year, and called for access to the single market.

Carmarthenshire

Carmarthenshire council says it is something they are working on and that it is likely to be on agenda for executive board or full council in September or October.

Ceredigion

Ceredigion County Council has recently finished a Brexit impact report, but has not yet made it public.

A council spokeswoman said: "The council has recently undertaken a risk assessment in respect of the potential impact of Brexit. This will be presented to the next Audit committee and will be made public at that point, as elected members are yet to view it.

"The assessment will then be made available to the public via the published papers for the Audit committee on the council website."

Conwy

Conwy County Borough Council said it’s yet to draw up an impact assessment.

A spokeswoman said: “Discussions are ongoing with all Council departments about the potential impact of Brexit.

“We’re looking at all aspects of the various Brexit scenarios on the Council’s services, and have not drawn-up an impact assessment report at this stage.”

Denbighshire

Denbighshire County Council said it hasn’t produced a specific Brexit impact assessment document, but the risks are being managed and monitored through its corporate risk management process.

A spokesman for the council said: “We are tracking the progress of Brexit negotiations closely as well as working with other North Wales councils to lobby Welsh Government for decisions on crucial issues of European funding post-Brexit.

“The impact on the council will vary significantly dependent upon the type of Brexit that eventually occurs and for this reason we decided not to produce a stand-alone document and to monitor risks and opportunities through our dynamic risk management processes.”

Flintshire

Flintshire County Council said it does not have a formal or specific plan for managing the impacts of Brexit.

Gareth Owens, chief officer governance at the council, said: "The impacts could be multiple on the local economy, the financial markets, government fiscal policy, and the movement of workers into and out of the public and private employment sectors.

"The council supports the business sector in the making of representations to Governments to support international trade and exports with Europe, has a treasury management strategy to protect its own investments in the financial markets, supports the case for a new UK Prosperity Fund with regional investment to follow the structural funds once they have ended, and has business continuity plans for its services which include planning for scenarios such as a shortage of available labour for public services.

"There are many differing predictions as to what will be the full consequences of an eventual Brexit ‘deal’. As there is an absence of reliable evidence at this stage our plans do not name Brexit as a specific risk, and instead deal with foreseeable risks some of which may be influenced by the Brexit process.”

Gwynedd

Gwynedd Council said it is “gathering information” on the impact of Brexit in the area.

A council spokesman said: “We will be following the outcome of the EU summit in October, and any possible emergency summits before Christmas, with keen interest, so that we can make further preparations for the implications of all possible outcomes on public services and our communities.

“We are looking forward to the WLGA’s Brexit Transition Support programme for local authorities, which will help cooperation and communication between Welsh local authorities in preparing for Brexit.”

Isle of Anglesey

Isle of Anglesey has produced a Brexit impact report, which urges the need for an open, frictionless border between Anglesey and Ireland.

The Port of Holyhead is one of the busiest ports in the UK and an important international gateway into Wales, employing 650 people, the report found. It’s the busiest cruise port in Wales and transports 76 per cent of all vehicle freight handled by Welsh ports.

(Image: Daily Post Wales)

Initial concerns expressed locally about the future of the port included the possibility of delays in loading and unloading ferries, longer check-in and processing times, and traffic instead using ports in England and Scotland to reach Ireland through Northern Ireland.

Councillor Carwyn Jones, economic development portfolio holder for Isle of Anglesey Council, wrote to then Brexit secretary David Davies in November expressing concern about a lack of clarity about what exiting the EU would mean for the port.

Alun Cairns, the secretary of state for Wales, replied in December and said Prime Minister Theresa May intends to maintain open borders between the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Newport

A Newport council spokesperson said: “Newport City Council is working on how we prepare for the potential impact of Brexit with the support of the WLGA.”

Merthyr Tydfil

A Merthyr council spokesperson said that they haven’t yet carried out a full local impact assessment as there are so many unknown variables.

“We are however working closely with the Welsh Local Government Association, Welsh Government and a range of other representative partners and continue to monitor developments very closely.”

Monmouthshire

Monmouthshire council says it has placed the subject of the UK leaving the European Union on its corporate risk register and the council is monitoring developments closely, working with the WLGA which is running a support programme for all local authorities.

Neath Port Talbot

A council spokesman said: "We have assessed the impact Brexit would have on our European structural funds and it is also a line in our Corporate Risk Register."

A report by the council in 2016 said further cuts to local authority budgets would be "devastating".

Pembrokeshire

Pembrokeshire County Council says it has not undertaken or commissioned any assessments on the potential impact of Brexit in Pembrokeshire but that is has attempted to identify areas of risk that Brexit poses to the council and the environment in which it operates.

Of the 18 possibilities assessed, 17 were deemed to be negative including the imposition of border controls, loss of employees and EU funding and increased costs on imported goods withe the only positive being the reduced demand for services if the population decreases.

A spokesperson for the council said that this “does not however pretend to be a comprehensive impact assessment".

“It does not, as an impact assessment would, seek to quantify the extent of the overall impact of Brexit on the council or the county. It is limited to identifying ways in which the council might be affected, the likelihood of that impact occurring and the relative seriousness of that impact.

“The Council does have access to impact assessments for Brexit. Many have been published including those from the HM Treasury, Welsh Government, academia, industry bodies and other interested parties.

“These are not necessarily impact studies for Pembrokeshire, but instead deal with sectoral issues (e.g. farming) or larger geographic areas (e.g. Wales).”

Powys

Powys council says it has been working, along with other councils, with a Welsh treasurers’ group on areas that will be affected by Brexit including grants, funding support and staffing issues.

Rhondda Cynon Taf

Rhondda Cynon Taf council says it's currently working with the WLGA on the issue.

(Image: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire)

Swansea

A spokesman for Swansea council said: “Along with other local authorities we are in the process of working closely with the WLGA and Welsh Government to assess the potential impact of Brexit on local government in Wales.”

Torfaen

Torfaen council hasn’t got a report or a study but are involved in the various discussions that are taking place with the WLGA and Welsh Government.

Councillor Anthony Hunt, leader of Torfaen Council, said: "I'm extremely concerned about the potential impact of Brexit on our local economy and these concerns are intensified by the ongoing confusion and uncertainty within the UK Government.

"Torfaen has benefitted from significant European funding in recent years with millions invested in projects that have supported regeneration and infrastructure as well as ongoing projects that, for example are supporting people to find work. The future of this regional funding post-Brexit is among the key concerns that we have as a council.

"Officers have been working with their colleagues in other councils, the Welsh Local Government Association and Welsh Government to consider what impact Brexit will have at a local, regional and national level and consider what steps could be taken to mitigate any negative effects in the short and longer term."

Vale of Glamorgan

Rob Thomas, managing director of Vale of Glamorgan Council, said: “We will be working with colleagues from the Welsh Local Government Association and liaising with colleagues from Welsh and UK government throughout the Brexit process.

“Locally, we will also seek to offer support and , where appropriate, advice to businesses and traders."

Wrexham

Wrexham Council says it has not produced a Brexit impact report as the issue can’t be considered in isolation.

Councillor Mark Pritchard, Leader of Wrexham Council, said the council "cannot measure nor assess the possible impacts of a no-deal Brexit" on its own.

He said: This is something which will very much affect Wales’ regionally, and while Wrexham does have a distinct economy and distinct demographics within Wales, we are so interlinked with not just partner areas in Wales but with others across the UK that Brexit doesn’t affect any one of us in isolation. As such, we don’t feel it can really be considered in isolation.

“To that end, we will work with the WLGA as a pan-Wales forum to outline our position alongside other authorities, and to see what work needs to be carried out in preparation for Brexit. We would also expect the Welsh Government and, fundamentally, the UK Government to provide further guidance on this issue.”