Today marks the biggest shake-up in local democracy in one single day since the seventies - when 44 councils will be replaced by just nine serving over 3 million residents.
From the tip of Cornwall to the coast of Northumberland, this move will boost services, cut red tape and waste and capitalise on stronger leadership and value for money, crucial in tough economic times.
Stripping out a layer of local government will also strip out public confusion about who to speak to about their local services - from bin collections to business, and lighting to libraries. And the councils will have a renewed emphasis on making multimillion pound annual savings, better services and stronger leadership to tackle key issues in their communities like the impact of the downturn or climate change, and to put local people centre stage in decision making.
Nearly two thirds of England, as a result will be under ‘unitary’ governance - like Scotland and Wales - with the North East being the first English region to be fully unitary.
Local Government Minister, John Healey said:
“Today marks one of the biggest democratic shake-ups since the seventies - affecting over 3 million people. This is not a cosmetic make-over or just a new logo on a council tax bill. Nor is it just a cost cutting exercise.
“It’s about the nine areas making the clear case that they can serve their residents better by top-to-bottom reform, and stripping out a layer of local government.
“The acid test now will be whether these councils deliver their promises, including better services, leadership and achieving more for less, as I, and more importantly their residents, expect.
“Staff have put a lot of hard work into ensuring a smooth handover and day one implementation. I’m confident that this reform will set a new standard for local government in the future.”
The nine councils will have a renewed focus on improving people’s quality of life from getting a grip on graffiti, helping housing tenants and reviving the roads to championing the regions’ economy.
Key pledges include:
- Putting the customer first with better, clearer and more accessible services: In all areas, taxi rules will be simplified so customers won’t face a hike in price if they hop over an old district council border. Councils will tackle the ‘telephone number lottery’ with a single number and website for residents to shortcut the maze of services from birth registrations to recycling. Council housing in all parts of the council area will be offered to residents rather than their immediate area. And Shropshire Council has pledged nearly £1m efficiency savings to end ‘clock-in’ bus times for pensioners so they can travel for free any time of the day.
- More bang for taxpayers’ buck: Better value for money through economies of scale, such as Cornwall’s £1 million saved from renegotiating its insurance contract. County Durham will both save money and offer recycling to double the number of residents by moving to a single county-wide recycling service.
- Cutting costs and red tape: Combined, the new unitaries will ultimately make £100m annual savings through less duplication. Senior positions will be slashed by over 300 posts saving around £22m. There will be nine Chief Executives instead of 44.
- Better boardroom power and more clout: fewer leaders or decision makers will strengthen - as opposed to dilute - the area’s voice so, for example, it can make a stronger case to bid for funds or backing or swiftly act on emerging issues such as Northumberland’s decisive action to intervene in a frozen food factory closure threat, saving 190 jobs and protecting trade.
- More say for local people. Residents will have more opportunities to air their views on the services they receive - from a new youth mayor in Chester West and Chester, to new Question Time style events across most areas enabling people to quiz their council and influence decisions. In response to public demand Bedford Borough is investing £1million to improve local roads and fixing potholes and local advisers in Shropshire will help local community groups get local initiatives and funding bids off the ground. Local people in Wiltshire will have greater opportunities to influence local priorities and services in their neighbourhood through the 20 Area Boards - giving a real boost to democracy at the most local level. Already in one area, village residents have triggered action by the council and the police to identify and tackle local speeding and accident black spots
Further Information
To see a clip of John Healey talking about the new changes go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLoUzwAqTBE
Local Government Restructuring at www.communities.gov.uk:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/localgovernment/restructuring/
44 councils (district and county) will be replaced by nine new unitary councils in seven areas. Five areas will have one unitary council (Cornwall, Wiltshire, Shropshire, Northumberland and Durham) while two areas will be split into two unitary administrative units each (Cheshire will become Cheshire West and Chester and Cheshire East, and Bedfordshire will become Bedford Borough and Central Bedfordshire).
The seven areas successfully made their case to become unitary and dissolve the middle layer of local government out of the 26 bids received following an England-wide invitation to local councils issued in October 2006. The previous wave of local government restructuring in England took place between 1994 -1998.
The nine new unitary councils which take effect on 1 April 2009 are expected to achieve savings of over £100m per year after one-off transitional costs. They will be serving a population of 3.2m residents, meaning the proportion of the population of England living in a unitary area will increase from 52per cent to 60per cent.
Source
Client ref SWW/09
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http://nds.coi.gov.uk/content/detail.asp?ReleaseID=397394&NewsAreaID=139
