CARMARTHENSHIRE County Council’s proposed £20million spending spree could be in doubt after a Welsh Government minister said he would step in to block “irresponsible spending” by the authority.

The council has announced it plans to fund a dozen major infrastructure projects across the county with a raid on its cash reserves.

The decision comes ahead of the possibility of a major shake-up of Welsh local authorities expected later in the year which could well see the abolition of Carmarthenshire as an authority in its own right and a return a Dyfed super-county, incorporating much of Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion.

In an interview with BBC Wales, Glanaman councillor and county council deputy leader David Jenkins said: "The question we're asking is what will happen to Carmarthenshire's money if we have to merge with Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion."

“If we do go back into the Dyfed role, I’m not quite sure what happens with the reserves.”

The Plaid Cymru-led council is planning to spend £20m of its £72m reserves on the projects, with Cllr Jenkins saying the administration wanted to see the money spent in the county ahead of any major reorganisation.

“It is Carmarthenshire people who have put the money in through their taxes into the fund so I think it is only right and proper that Carmarthenshire people should benefit form that money,” he said.

However, Leighton Andrews, the Welsh Government minister overseeing the merger proposals, voiced concern over Carmarthenshire’s plans and said he would "act to stop any irresponsible spending" of the reserves.

A Welsh government spokesman added: "The Welsh ministers already have powers to set minimum level of reserves required to be held as part of the authority's budget setting process.

"Additionally, the provisions of the Local Government Act (Wales) prevent improper use of assets before mergers."

Former council leader Kevin Madge, who opposed authority mergers while in office, has also expressed concern over the proposed spending.

“The council is spending £20m on the back of the merger going through, but there is a lot of water still to go under this bridge,” he told the Guardian.

“If this money is going to be spend then there needs to be public consultation on where it should go and on what, but the key question is what would happen if the restructuring does not go ahead and the money has already been spent.”