The Leader of Rushcliffe Borough Council Cllr Simon Robinson has responded on Nottinghamshire County Council’s renewed calls for a Unitary Council for the county.
He has joined fellow District and Borough Council leaders and Nottingham City Council’s leader in writing a letter to the Minister of State for Regional Growth and Local Government, Luke Hall MP, requesting support to invite all Councils to develop alternative proposals to a single, county-wide unitary over the forthcoming year.
He said: “We wish to debate and work with fellow authorities on the shape any local government reorganisation may take for the continued benefit of our residents.
“It’s important as a proactive high performing district council, we positively play any part in the format of the future.
“A Cabinet report on September 8 passed recommendations on how we will now look to positively engage in the wider process and work collectively to identify and consult with partner councils on the best options going forward.
“A single unitary Council suggested by the County Council as the only option on the table is not acceptable.
“The failure to engage by the authority to date on any wholescale change is not the open minded approach required to deliver high quality services.
“We wish to work with the County Council, City Council and fellow districts on meaningful engagement as part of a collaborative and strategic approach to properly identify and appraise options.”
It reads: “Our localities are very different, and the political leadership of our councils is very different, and yet we are united in our opposition to a single unitary council being the only option on the table.
“Nottinghamshire County Council has developed its proposal in isolation.
“It has not attempted to engage with us on any alternative options and has failed to demonstrate an open mind to any option other than the one that preserves and enhances its own identities and responsibilities.
“A single unitary council for Nottinghamshire would attempt to serve 828,000 people.
“This is way beyond the acceptable size threshold that you have articulated and that we expect to be confirmed in the forthcoming white paper.
“Only Birmingham City Council would represent more people.
“Scale can deliver economies, but too big breeds bureaucracy and inflexibility.
“Nottinghamshire County Council is already a very large organisation that struggles to react swiftly and responsively to local needs.
“Each of us has examples in our areas where economic growth and public service delivery are being frustrated and thwarted because the county council is remote from the communities that it serves and is too cumbersome to move quickly.
“Disregarding the existence of Nottingham City and its role within the conurbation and beyond would be a fundamental mistake.
“A genuine commitment to levelling up the prosperity of our county and city requires at the very least a consideration of options that include Nottingham City.
“We strongly reject Nottinghamshire County Council’s rush to beat a deadline to suspend the 2021 county elections.
“This is no basis on which to re-design the governance of local services.
“Our residents deserve so much better.
“If we’re hurried into a response that is driven by a dash to meet an election deadline, taxpayers’ money will be wasted on an adversarial process as we pull apart the county’s case and consider our legal position.”
Nottinghamshire County Council declined to comment.
It reads: “Our localities are very different, and the political leadership of our councils is very different, and yet we are united in our opposition to a single unitary council being the only option on the table.
“Nottinghamshire County Council has developed its proposal in isolation.
“It has not attempted to engage with us on any alternative options and has failed to demonstrate an open mind to any option other than the one that preserves and enhances its own identities and responsibilities.
“A single unitary council for Nottinghamshire would attempt to serve 828,000 people.
“This is way beyond the acceptable size threshold that you have articulated and that we expect to be confirmed in the forthcoming white paper.
“Only Birmingham City Council would represent more people.
“Scale can deliver economies, but too big breeds bureaucracy and inflexibility.
“Nottinghamshire County Council is already a very large organisation that struggles to react swiftly and responsively to local needs.
“Each of us has examples in our areas where economic growth and public service delivery are being frustrated and thwarted because the county council is remote from the communities that it serves and is too cumbersome to move quickly.
“Disregarding the existence of Nottingham City and its role within the conurbation and beyond would be a fundamental mistake.
“A genuine commitment to levelling up the prosperity of our county and city requires at the very least a consideration of options that include Nottingham City.
“We strongly reject Nottinghamshire County Council’s rush to beat a deadline to suspend the 2021 county elections.
“This is no basis on which to re-design the governance of local services.
“Our residents deserve so much better.
“If we’re hurried into a response that is driven by a dash to meet an election deadline, taxpayers’ money will be wasted on an adversarial process as we pull apart the county’s case and consider our legal position.”
Nottinghamshire County Council declined to comment.
It reads: “Our localities are very different, and the political leadership of our councils is very different, and yet we are united in our opposition to a single unitary council being the only option on the table.
“Nottinghamshire County Council has developed its proposal in isolation.
“It has not attempted to engage with us on any alternative options and has failed to demonstrate an open mind to any option other than the one that preserves and enhances its own identities and responsibilities.
“A single unitary council for Nottinghamshire would attempt to serve 828,000 people.
“This is way beyond the acceptable size threshold that you have articulated and that we expect to be confirmed in the forthcoming white paper.
“Only Birmingham City Council would represent more people.
“Scale can deliver economies, but too big breeds bureaucracy and inflexibility.
“Nottinghamshire County Council is already a very large organisation that struggles to react swiftly and responsively to local needs.
“Each of us has examples in our areas where economic growth and public service delivery are being frustrated and thwarted because the county council is remote from the communities that it serves and is too cumbersome to move quickly.
“Disregarding the existence of Nottingham City and its role within the conurbation and beyond would be a fundamental mistake.
“A genuine commitment to levelling up the prosperity of our county and city requires at the very least a consideration of options that include Nottingham City.
“We strongly reject Nottinghamshire County Council’s rush to beat a deadline to suspend the 2021 county elections.
“This is no basis on which to re-design the governance of local services.
“Our residents deserve so much better.
“If we’re hurried into a response that is driven by a dash to meet an election deadline, taxpayers’ money will be wasted on an adversarial process as we pull apart the county’s case and consider our legal position.”
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