Single authority proposals are attacked as ‘hugely disruptive’
Hinckley councillor says decision-making will be further away
DISSOLVING the county’s district and boroughs into a single authority would be “hugely disruptive”, a councillor has warned.
Hinckley county and borough councillor Michael Mullaney has warned that Leicestershire County Council’s proposal for a single administration would be a “time-consuming distraction” from the coronavirus outbreak.
Papers have been published for the county council’s Cabinet meeting this Friday, September 18.
These include a report supporting the abolition of the seven boroughs and districts in Leicestershire and their replacement with one administration for the county.
If it is passed, Conservative county council leader Nick Rushton will write to the Secretary of State for local government, Robert Jenrick, to try and push on with the unitary plans.
Proposed next steps include refreshing the strategic business case which sets out the benefits of re-shaping local government in Leicestershire.
Drawn up last year, the blueprint concluded that one, single unitary council – bringing together the eight county and district councils – offered the best opportunity to save money, reduce duplication and protect frontline services.
Cllr Rushton said: “Now is the time for change. We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to simplify services, save over £30m a year and improve lives.
“Simply put, it’s the right thing to do. The long-term financial situation facing councils is bleak.
“Unitary is the new normal – with the Government encouraging councils to bring forward proposals. And let’s seize the chance to ramp up our approach to Covid-19 recovery.
“It also means we can put the East Midlands on the map. We’re expecting the Government to make reorganisation a condition for devolution.
“And with leaders in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire also working towards reform, we can unlock the possibility of a regional devolution deal – the 6Cs model – establishing a mayoral combined authority for the East Midlands, bolstering our ability to attract much-needed Government investment and level up the region.
“Doing nothing isn’t an option. Residents want easy access to effective, joined-up services – and be able to shape decisions that affect their communities.
“The current set up is bureaucratic, expensive and confusing – and we must put residents first and shake up the system.
“Exploring unitary puts us in control of our future and is our opportunity to move Leicestershire forward.”
In response, Cllr Mullaney said: “Plans for one unitary authority for Leicestershire will mean decisionmaking being taken further away from local people.
“One authority for Leicestershire’s 700,000 population will mean communities like the one I represent in Hinckley on the edge of the county feeling even more remote from decision-making.
“The outgoing Conservative local government minister, Simon Clarke, even admitted that any new unitaries should only be between 3-600,000 unless they are one united community, such as a single city.
“Given Leicestershire’s population is around 700,000 and given that it is a large sprawling geographical county of many varying towns and villages, Leicestershire is clearly too big and too diverse to be squeezed into one authority.”
Cllr Mullaney added: “Abolishing Hinckley and Bosworth and the other boroughs and districts in Leicestershire would be a hugely disruptive, time-consuming distraction at a time when people are trying to get through the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Getting through Covid-19 must be the top priority that occupies people’s time and effort.
“I therefore call upon the Conservative Government and county council to drop their disruptive plans for one unitary authority for Leicestershire.
“Liberal Democrats in Leicestershire will oppose these plans as a total distraction at this time of national emergency.”