The Nottinghamshire County Conservative Group have submitted an amended motion, calling for the existing County Council boundary to remain and form a new Unitary Council, which would prevent Broxtowe, Gedling or Rushcliffe joining a new Nottingham City Council.
On September 2nd, Nottinghamshire County Councillors are voting in an Extraordinary Full Council Meeting for the preferred option on Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) and the only option put forward by the Reform Administration is for Gedling and Broxtowe districts to join with Nottingham City in a new Unitary Council, with the rest of the County forming a new Unitary Council, otherwise known as option 1B. The Conservative Group proposal will see the current City Council stay as it is, with the rest of the County forming a new Unitary Council. A previous Amendment was not accepted which would have seen the City Council remain as it is, and two new Unitary Councils replace the current Nottinghamshire County Council and district councils
Nottinghamshire County Council and other councils are currently consulting residents on their views for LGR, with the listening exercise ongoing until the middle of September, and the Conservatives argue residents are being ignored and sidelined by seeing just one option on the table for Councillors to vote on by the Reform Administration.
Conservative Leader of the Opposition Cllr Sam Smith said: “Residents in Gedling, Rushcliffe and Broxtowe have been clear, they do not want to be dragged into Nottingham City. During the election Reform councillors promised to fight for their communities, but they know want to betray those who voted for them in these areas. Our amendment is the only credible way forward which will protect our local services and keep council tax low”
Petitions and local campaigns have shown overwhelming opposition to being merged into the City. Yet under both options 1b and 1e, Broxtowe residents effectively have no other option. The Conservatives say their plan opens up a fair, balanced alternative that respects residents’ views and protects local services from the higher taxes and poorer services that would come from a City-led takeover.
Cllr Smith added: “This is a once-in-a-generation decision, and residents have the right to consider more than just the two options we’re being pushed towards; our amendment does just that. Reform councillors cannot hide from this – they must decide if they are going to stand up for their communities or simply follow orders from the top. If it falls, then it will be time to have a serious look at the boundaries. Both Labour and Reform are working to stifle local people’s views and democracy, we are standing up for our residents and will continue to do so”
The Conservatives are challenging Reform councillors to prove that the promises they made in May, which included promises to protect Rushcliffe, Gedling and Broxtowe from the City, were genuine by backing the Conservative amendment at the extraordinary full council meeting on Thursday 2nd September. If passed, this will allow the alternative option to be properly developed into a full business case and submitted to government alongside the other proposals.
