Bid to reassure councils over new authority
Proposals not ‘hostile’ insists leader
THE LEADER of North Yorkshire County Council has insisted a proposed single unitary authority covering England’s largest county should not be viewed as “hostile” by district leaders whose local authorities would be disbanded as a result.
Council officials will draw up plans for a single body providing services for the county’s 600,000 population after being told by a government Minister that no devolution deal would be agreed without a shake-up of local government.
This would mean the seven district councils would be disbanded and the services they provide such as planning and rubbish collection would be taken over by a county-wide body, but York Council would be left intact.
At a meeting last week, Conservatives on the council indicated they were waiting for a proposal for how this arrangement would work to be put to governMinister
ment, although district council leaders are also working on rival plans.
One district leader, Keane Duncan in Ryedale, writes in The Yorkshire Post today that creating what he describes as a ‘super council’ for all of North Yorkshire “could sink this golden opportunity for our county”.
Simon Clarke has given leaders in North Yorkshire until September to come up with proposals which could then be put out to a public consultation before a decision is made.
He has warned that any devolution deal, which local leaders hope will give the area the ability to become the nation’s first negative-carbon economy, would require the election of a metro mayor and for district councils to be replaced with one or more unitary authorities.
County council leader Carl Les said the authority was due to have talks with officials from Durham and Cornwall, both of which have unitary authorities, to find out how they operate.
He said: “Our proposals would seek to offer the best service to our residents and the best deal for our council taxpayers whilst also retaining decision-making and delivery at the most local level. We are aware that there may be competing proposals, but our proposal will be in no way hostile. It is for Ministers to choose which is the best.”