Single-council option 'could save millions'

Scrapping Norfolk's district, borough and city councils and replacing them with one large authority could save £29m a year, a report says.

It was prepared for Norfolk County Council, with local authorities given until later this month to submit their initial proposals for how local government reorganisation might work.

The report suggests that reducing staff numbers and combining services would save money and improve efficiency.

But an alternative report prepared for the seven smaller councils argues that three authorities covering the county would offer better engagement with local people.

All the local authorities have been invited to put forward their proposals as part of a planned devolution deal announced by the government.

It will see existing councils abolished and replaced by new authorities, with a mayor overseeing Norfolk and Suffolk.

The report prepared for Norfolk County Council offers three options but appears to favour the council effectively continuing as one authority responsible for the entire county.

Along with up to £29m in annual savings, it suggests efficiencies could be made in areas such as planning and waste collection, which are currently covered by more than one body.

It suggests that reorganising to have two councils would save less money, be less efficient and see duplications of expensive jobs, such as directors of adult social care.

And it argues that having three authorities in Norfolk would be "sub-optimal", costing more with a less joined-up approach.

Conservative county council leader Kay Mason Billig insisted "there are lots of other pieces of work to be done" before a decision was made on which option to pursue.

"There are a number of issues to explore and it's too early to draw lines on any maps," she said.

The report commissioned by Norfolk's seven smaller local authorities argues in favour of having three authorities, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

It suggests Norwich, King's Lynn and Great Yarmouth could be the focus of the new councils.

It says the approach would provide "better local engagement" with residents, but it concedes it would be least likely to achieve efficiencies.

The report gives its lowest ranking to a single unitary authority but admits it would have the most financial benefits.

Sam Chapman-Allen, the Conservative leader of Breckland District Council, said he believed smaller, more localised councils would serve people better.

"Residents expect a service delivered from their local council and don't mind paying for that as long as it's a good level of service," he said.

"If something is too big, it's too distant and remote to be effective."

The councils have until 21 March to submit their interim proposals to the government, with final proposals due in September.

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