The merger of the three west Wales NHS trusts has been fiercely opposed at a meeting held on Monday evening by the Community Health Council (CHC).

An hour-long discussion was concluded with CHC members voting by ten-to-one to oppose the merger of Pembrokeshire and Derwen, Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion trusts.

CHC chief executive Ashley Warlow said both the Local Health Board (LHB) and the county council would stick to their previous anti-merger decisions.

Members of the CHC were also concerned the local health boards could also merge if the Trust merger went ahead.

However, chairman of Pembrokeshire LHB Chris Martin responded by saying he saw no reason to believe there would be a LHB merger.

In favour of the merger, Cllr Sue Perkins added: "What concerns me is there are so many ifs and buts in the report."

Cllr Henry Cooper questioned claims the merger would save £2m a year.

He said: "I'm still concerned at the figures, we need to know how these savings are going to be made."

The CHC also urged steps be taken to reduce the Trust's £14m deficit.

The majority of members said the report presented to them lacked a convincing argument.

Members also hit out at the haste at which a merger of the trusts would be prepared for by April 1, 2008.

Responding to questions about the possible merger from AM Paul Davies at the Senedd, health minister Edwina Hart said "there is no question of anything happening to alter services or where they are located".

Mr Davies said: "I am genuinely concerned that creating one trust for west Wales could lead to vital services being transferred from Pembrokeshire."

Edwina Hart said: "There is no intention of changing any existing service provisions as part of the three Trust merger process."

Mrs Hart's assurances on service provision after a merger were backed by south Pembrokeshire MP Nick Ainger and west Wales AM Alun Davies.