Commentary on Sections Part 7: Mergers and Restructuring Of Principal Areas Chapter 1: Voluntary Mergers of Principal Areas Section 124 – Merger regulations
536.Having received a voluntary merger application, the Welsh Ministers may decide to make regulations (“merger regulations”) to give effect to the merger proposed in the application. Section 124 sets out the specific issues which must be addressed in merger regulations, reflecting the fundamental matters relating to the establishment of a new county or county borough and its council.
537.The date on which the council for the new principal area will take over the full range of functions (referred to in the Act as “the transfer date”, commonly also called “Vesting Day”), is expected to be 1 April in the specified year, to coincide with the start of the local government financial year. It is anticipated that only in exceptional circumstances would the transfer date be set at a different date in the specified year. The merging areas and their councils will be abolished on the transfer date.