Concerns have been raised about plans that would see all of North Wales social service budgets pooled into one £115 million fund.

The region's six councils have to join together under the Welsh Government’s  Social Services and Well-Being (Wales) Act 2014 to pool their budgets for protecting vulnerable people.

Denbighshire is the authority taking the lead on the project on behalf of the other counties.

Councillors on the partnerships scrutiny committee heard the combined budget will be similar in size to that of the whole of Anglesey’s budget, when the health board’s contribution is included.

Cllr Rhys Thomas, said he was worried that having such a big care project was re-creating the mistakes made when the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board was set up.

The Lower Denbigh ward councillor said: “I am reminded of a paragraph in the Tawel Fan report where it said that joining six health boards to former Betsi Cadwaladr was probably misguided. And the problems that occurred then are still in evidence now.

“Here we are again, trying to join together the services of six authorities and the health service and I think there was a quote in the report saying it was almost as if it was set up to fail.”

A report before councillors on the committee noted there was little evidence to suggest that councils coming together to pool their funds would improve social care, but their hands were tied by the new law.

It said: “The Social Services and Wellbeing Act (Wales) requires certain functions to be supported by the creation of pooled budgets between local authorities and health. It is included within the legislation to promote integration as a means of strengthening service delivery.

“The evidence to support this is limited and reservations have been expressed previously at a regional level and to elected members locally, however it remains a requirement of the legislation.”