(a)
That
this Council:-
(i) Notes with regret that the Leader’s proposal to create a single Unitary Council for the whole of Leicestershire was announced by email and press release 2 days after the last Council Meeting on 27th June;
(ii) Expresses concern that the proposals are being drawn up by the Administration at County Hall without the involvement of all councils affected and not on a cross party basis;
(iii) Believes it is essential that any reorganisation ensures Local Government remains local and does not create a democratic deficit;
(iv) Believes that the preferred option being advocated by the Leader and the Cabinet fails to address the fundamental and historic underfunding of public services in Leicestershire;
(v) Notes that one of the stated drivers for change is the need to create a Strategic Alliance for the East Midlands although it is not clear what level of support this has outside Leicestershire and what benefits would result;
(vi) Notes that the 2014 Ernst and Young report commissioned by the County Council suggesting that savings of £31m could be achieved contained inaccuracies and that reorganisations elsewhere have failed to deliver the level of savings indicated in consultants’ reports;
(b) This Council therefore requests the Cabinet to reconsider the current process and commence a more open and inclusive process with representatives from all affected tiers to consider how Local Government can be improved in Leicestershire.
Minutes:
It was moved by Mr Galton and seconded by
Mr Mullaney:-
“(a) That
this Council:-
(i) Notes
with regret that the Leader’s proposal to create a single Unitary Council for
the whole of Leicestershire was announced by email and press release two days
after the last Council Meeting on 27th June;
(ii) Expresses
concern that the proposals are being drawn up by the Administration at County
Hall without the involvement of all councils affected and not on a cross party
basis;
(iii) Believes
it is essential that any reorganisation ensures Local Government remains local
and does not create a democratic deficit;
(iv) Believes
that the preferred option being advocated by the Leader and the Cabinet fails
to address the fundamental and historic underfunding of public services in
Leicestershire;
(v) Notes
that one of the stated drivers for change is the need to create a Strategic
Alliance for the East Midlands although it is not clear what level of support
this has outside Leicestershire and what benefits would result;
(vi) Notes
that the 2014 Ernst and Young report commissioned by the County Council
suggesting that savings of £31m could be achieved contained inaccuracies and
that reorganisations elsewhere have failed to deliver the level of savings
indicated in consultants’ reports;
(b) This
Council therefore requests the Cabinet to reconsider the current process and
commence a more open and inclusive process with representatives from all
affected tiers to consider how Local Government can be improved in Leicestershire.”
An amendment was moved by Mr Rushton and
seconded by Mr Rhodes:-
“That the motion be amended to read as
follows:-
(a)
That this Council:-
(i)
Notes that plans for a unitary structure of
government in principle for Leicestershire were drawn up after a positive
endorsement by the Conservative Group at its meeting on 26th June
2018 and were communicated promptly and appropriately to stakeholders in the
usual way;
(ii)
has started a much needed and long overdue debate on
the future provision of local government services in the county, which leaders
of the seven district councils have recognised is in need of reform;
(iii)
recognises that continuing austerity and cost
pressures for services are placing councils of all types in an impossible
financial position, requiring Councils such as Leicestershire to consider a
unitary structure;
(iv)
recognises that plans for an East Midlands
Strategic Alliance to counterbalance the West Midlands Combined Authority
require further work and agreement amongst regional leaders and stakeholders
before a business case is submitted to the Secretary of State;
(v)
notes that the information to be provided in the
Cabinet report will allow Members to undertake detailed scrutiny of the level
of savings including savings that have been achieved by other Councils who have
already undertaken local government reorganisation;
(vi)
recognises that Leicestershire County Council must
be allowed to pursue its right to self-determination of policy via the
democratic process and that this Council respects the rights of other local
authorities to do the same.
(b)
That this Council notes:-
(i)
That in line with the decision of the Cabinet on 6th
July 2018 proposals for a new unitary structure for local government in
Leicestershire will be published in a report to the Cabinet on Friday 5th
October;
(ii)
That the proposals will provide a basis and
framework for Scrutiny Bodies, members and stakeholders to consider and make
representations on the future shape of local government in Leicestershire;
(c)
That recognising the need for member involvement a
cross party group be established to consider the proposals and advise the
Cabinet on the next steps including a timescale for consultation;
(d)
That the Chief Executive be asked to include proposed
terms of reference for the cross party working group in the report to the
Cabinet on 16th October, 2018.”
The amendment was put and carried, with 36 members voting for the amendment, 9 against and 5 abstentions.
The substantive motion was put and carried, with 36 members voting for the amendment and 14 abstentions.