Services could be 'squeezed', says council leader
MARTIN GILES/BBCA shake-up of local government could mean some services are "squeezed out" as planners focus on things like social services, a Norfolk council leader said.
In a paper published on Monday, the Labour government announced a "devolution revolution", with plans to reorganise the two-tier system of district and county councils.
Instead, they could be replaced by single, unitary authorities responsible for all services including transport, social care, housing, planning and, ultimately, fire and police services.
Tim Adams, Liberal Democrat leader of North Norfolk District Council, said: "I think the risk is that if the big services, like social care, children's services and housing are all under one umbrella, something gets squeezed out."
The English Devolution white paper is being described as the biggest shake-up in English local government for half a century.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said she wanted to give everyone a directly-elected mayor and create larger districts with one council running all the services in that area.
The government said it would like existing councils to come together to work out what form of unitary authority they would like to offer and where the boundaries should be.
However, Adams described the white paper as "pretty incoherent" and was concerned it provided "little to no mention" of tourism or coastal defences.
"We're fundamentally very worried about our tourism economy," he said.
"We maintain things such as the pier, the country park in Holt, swimming pools and many other discretionary services.
"Tourism really barely gets a mention."
JO THEWLIS/BBCNorfolk currently has a two-tier system of local government, set up in 1974, with one county council and seven district councils:
- Breckland
- Broadland
- Great Yarmouth
- King's Lynn & West Norfolk
- Norwich
- North Norfolk
- South Norfolk
The district councils responsible for things like bin collections, parks and local planning. Many of them already have combined to share a lot of services, but retain political independence from each other.
The county council provides services including waste disposal, road maintenance, schools, libraries and social care.
Under a new unitary authorities, these would all be merged under the control of one council in the new larger district. Some counties, such as Cornwall, only have one council covering the whole county.
Kay Mason Billig, Conservative leader of Norfolk County Council, said: "I am keen to engage with the government and our district councils.
"Let's put the people before politics and attempt to design something that is the right shape and size to deliver efficient, accountable services."
JO THEWLIS/BBCPrevious devolution proposals for Norfolk and Suffolk have failed be put into practice.
In 2016, plans to devolve powers to one mayor covering Norfolk and Suffolk were scrapped by the previous Conservative government.
In September this year, plans to give Norfolk and Suffolk greater powers were also scrapped by the new government.
Ministers said the deal was not ambitious enough and only made provision for a directly elected leader rather than a mayor.
Steve Morphew, leader of the Labour group at the county council, said he was optimistic about the new developments.
"It is a very exciting prospect and a long-overdue opportunity to get a fit-for-purpose local government," he said.
"I look forward to getting down to the details to see something that we can all be proud of."
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