Council rivals both backed by experts NORTH YORKSHIRE:

The two sides in the battle to decide how local council services in North Yorkshire both say they have the backing of experts.

North Yorkshire County Council has commissioned PWC to analyse its proposed single unitary authority while rivals who want two councils turned to accountancy firm KPMG.

THE TWO sides in the battle to decide how local council services in North Yorkshire will look say they have the backing of experts as they prepare to submit their proposals to Ministers.

North Yorkshire County Council has commissioned PWC to analyse the benefits of its proposed single unitary authority covering England’s largest county, with the accountancy firm’s report suggesting the model could save up to £252 mover five years.

Meanwhile district and borough leaders asked rival ‘ big four’ accountancy firm KPMG to analyse the different options and now say their preferred scenario of two councils covering the east and west of the county is the best way forward.

Political leaders have been invited to submit an outline bid to the Government by November 9, proposing how unitary authorities could be created within North Yorkshire and York.

They were told this summer that replacing the current twotier system of councils with one or more unitary authorities was a prerequisite for the area gaining the benefits of devolution.

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick will then carry out a consultation and make a decision on which proposal has the most local support.

The county council says PWC’s findings show a single new council model would end duplication in just a few months, saving £ 30 million a year by cutting red tape and reducing senior management and elected member costs.

It adds that by using the new council as a springboard for transformational change this could rise to between £ 50m and £67 ma year, netting up to£252m at the end of the first five years.

According to PWC’s report, the east/ west split of the county which draws in the City of York also offers savings, but only 60 per cent of the county’s proposal over five years. Gareth Dadd, North Yorkshire County Council’s Deputy Leader, said: “Our proposal represents a saving of up to £ 185 a year for every household in North Yorkshire which would be put back into service delivery. It would be negligent of us to not to chase down such an opportunity.”

North Yorkshire’s seven district councils, Scarborough, Ryedale, Hambleton, Richmondshire, Craven, Selby and Harrogate, say the KPMG research provides “compelling evidence” that the creation of two unitary authorities of balanced size would provide “the strongest local leadership, the most effective services and the fairest democratic representation, as well as the most savings for local taxpayers”.

The east and west model would see Craven, Harrogate, Richmondshire and Hambleton join to form a unitary council in the west, and Selby, City of York, Ryedale and Scarborough join together to form a unitary council in the east.

According to the study, this model would produce two unitary authorities with a similar population and economic size that meet the Government’s reform criteria.

Coun Steve Siddons, leader of Scarborough Borough Council, speaking on behalf of the district leaders, said: “The KPMG study shows that the east and west model will provide strong local leadership, the most effective services, the fairest democratic representation and the most financial savings.

“Our model, with two equal partners, also provides the strongest approach to unlocking devolution.”

Ourproposal representsa savingofupto £ 185ayear... Gareth Dadd, North Yorkshire County Council’s Deputy Leader