PLANS to establish a single unitary local authority in Warwickshire do not constitute a ‘takeover’ of Rugby Borough Council (RBC), the local authority’s leader has said.
County councillors have agreed to approve the submission of a proposal to establish a single unitary local authority in the county, replacing RBC, Warwickshire County Council (WCC) and the other four district and borough councils in the area.
The council is proposing two possible options – a single unitary council for Warwickshire, or two unitary councils (one for North Warwickshire, Nuneaton and Bedworth, and Rugby Boroughs; another for Warwick and Stratford Districts).
RBC leader Coun Michael Moran said: “To be clear, and contrary to what has been stated online and in sections of the media, this process does not constitute a ‘takeover’ by the county council.
“All councils in Warwickshire would cease to exist, replaced by an entirely new authority to bring all services like housing, social services, planning and day-to-day council activities under one roof instead of there being lots of overlap.
“Ultimately this is just the start of a process but it’s important that the facts are not misrepresented. Change is definitely needed to make local government more efficient and deliver better services to residents and businesses.”
“Councillors would still be elected in the usual way and decision makers still wholly accountable to the general public.
“With regards council taxes and business rates, there would be a lot less bureaucracy, and therefore less cost, in local government.
“The government has set out a clear vision to deliver devolution and local government reorganisation at pace. We believe the interests of our residents, businesses and communities are best served by the council engaging positively with the process and playing an active role in the discussions.”
Members of WCC have until March 21 to submit an interim plan to the government on how it plans to streamline services. A deadline of November 28 has been set for the submission of the final full proposal.
Cllr Izzi Seccombe, Leader of Warwickshire County Council, said: “At this stage, the initial work suggests a single unitary as being the model that most closely meets the Government criteria, especially on issues of economies of scale, efficiencies and the risks of separation of already established countywide services.
“Over the coming months we will continue to engage with the Districts and Borough councils, local businesses, our colleagues in health and police, the voluntary and community sector and, of course, there will be engagement with residents to hear their views and work up a detailed proposal.
“Whatever model is progressed, above all we must ensure that there is a close connection with the communities that we serve. Our aspiration now is to develop detailed proposals for November to maximise both financial benefit and local connectivity. We do not have to choose between the two and must embed both into the future local government structure in Warwickshire.”
The move comes following the government’s publication of the English Devolution White Paper last December which sets out ambitions for both devolution and local government reorganisation.
