Council responds to latest Local Government Reorganisation proposal
Proposals to divide Staffordshire into two new ‘west’ and ‘east’ unitary councils need further work.
Simon Tagg, Leader of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, was responding after Staffordshire County Council announced its preferred option to national Government’s call for the forced reorganisation of Local Government.
The county authority is proposing dividing Staffordshire into two areas:
- ‘West’ comprising Newcastle-under Lyme, Stafford, Cannock Chase and South Staffordshire;
- ‘East’ comprising Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire Moorlands, East Staffordshire, Tamworth and Lichfield.
The proposal to create a ‘west’ authority was first suggested in a range of options put forward by the Borough Council for further investigation six months ago.
The Borough Council is against the Government’s forced reorganisation. Cllr Tagg said:
Councils in Staffordshire are already working well together for their communities under the current system – and we have just learned that the Government hasn’t properly worked out the real costs of this forced reorganisation.
I still see no convincing argument that this change would mean cheaper, better services for residents, or provide more accountability for taxpayers.
With Angela Rayner’s resignation and the sacking of the Local Government ministerial team the architects of this plan are gone, the Government is in turmoil and it’s time for it to think again about forced reorganisation.”
While arguing that the two-tier system in Staffordshire works well, if councils are still forced to become unitary authorities, Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council agreed its options for investigation in March.
As well as considering a single authority on the current Newcastle administrative boundaries, or a merger with the Staffordshire Moorlands, the Borough Council also agreed to investigate a ‘West Staffordshire’ authority broadly based on the M6 corridor.
Simon Tagg added:
The ‘West Staffordshire’ option is one that this council has already agreed to explore if we are forced to change, so we recognise the possibilities of Staffordshire County Council’s proposal.
However, further work will be needed to show how any new council providing all the services in an area of this size could remain local and responsive to its residents.”
The Borough Council is firmly opposed to the creation of a North Staffordshire Authority, which would see Newcastle-under-Lyme joined with Stoke-on-Trent and the Staffordshire Moorlands.
Despite its continued opposition to forced reorganisation, the Borough Council supports the creation of a Strategic Authority covering the whole of Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.
Simon Tagg said:
There are two separate issues here. We think the creation of a Strategic Authority looking at transport, investment and infrastructure for the whole region has merit, because it has potential to bring powers and funding from London.
Clearly the case for the Strategic Authority to have an Elected Mayor has not been made, and given experiences of elected mayors locally, would not be seen as a necessary or positive step.
However, Strategic Authorities will not be responsible for delivering day-to-day services such as collecting the bins and at a local level there is no demand - and no convincing argument - to rip up the existing system of local government in favour of giving residents something less than they already have.”
Consultation continues on proposed reorganisation. More at Local Government Reorganisation .