5.7 C
West Bridgford
Sunday, February 9, 2025

Council merger plan not a city take-over, says Rushcliffe Labour councillor

Radical plans to merge local councils with Nottingham are not a landgrab take-over by the city, according to a senior Rushcliffe politician.

According to Labour’s Steve Calvert, it would be “wrong and misleading“ to imply the new unitary authority – taking in Nottingham and the neighbouring areas of Rushcliffe, Gedling and Broxtowe – would simply become a new city council.

Instead, the new authority would reflect the politics of a population, where most live outside of the city.

“I support a Unitary authority that includes the City and extends well into the neighbouring boroughs. The question is how far, “ says Councillor Calvert.

“It will be a completely new council with new electoral wards.”

- Advertisement -

He says that would make the new council more representative.

“The existing boundaries of the city council and Rushcliffe Borough Council have had unfortunate consequences for those concerned about ‘one-party status’,” he adds.

Councillor Calvert, who represents Abbey ward on Rushcliffe Borough Council, is a former Director for Strategic Planning, Transport and the Environment on Nottinghamshire County Council, and was part of a working group of senior officers reviewing local council boundaries in the last big shake-up 30 years ago.

Proposals then to scrap the current two-tier set-up of a county council and seven borough/district councils, and replace them with three large unitary authorities in Nottinghamshire, were rejected. Now the government’s set a tight deadline for councils to come up with proposals for new unitary authorities, as part of its devolution plans for England.

He believes the current city boundary is too tight and “hinders service delivery” for a city that provides the jobs, shops and entertainment for a much wider area. He describes the current boundary as “an anomaly”.

“This is not a takeover by the City but a brand new authority, which can be built around the strengths of all existing authorities, including the County Council.”

A petition raised by Rushcliffe councillors last Wednesday opposing any plans is currently at over 5,500 signatures

Follow The Wire on TikTok, Facebook, X, Instagram. Send your story to newsdesk@westbridgfordwire.com or on 0115 772 0418

Categories:
 

 

Latest