Give your views on plans for single Leicestershire council

Leicestershire County Council favours a move to a single council set-up, which would mean the abolition of the county council and the seven district councils, including Melton Borough Council.

County Hall’s proposal, in response to a government drive to get rid of the existing two-tier structure, would also see an expanded Leicester City Council and a separate council governing Rutland, all overseen by a Mayor.

The county council says its plan would save tens of millions of pounds, protect council services and reduce confusion over who does what.

It wants to hear what residents, organisations and businesses think the new local government set-up should look like in Leicestershire.

Councillor Deborah Taylor, acting leader of Leicestershire County Council, urged locals to complete their short survey.

She commented: “It’s time for change and creating one council is the only sensible option.

“We have the chance to build one council for Leicestershire fit for the 21st century, making life simpler for our residents and offering better value for our Council Tax payers.

“We want what’s best for our residents. But from our previous work, and experiences of other areas that were split up, we don’t believe another option adds up, financially, geographically or logically."

County Hall opposes another idea being floated to divide Leicestershire into two separate councils.

Councillor Taylor said: “Splitting the county into two, as some might suggest, is a non-starter creating more pain than gain – fewer savings, more confusion and unhelpful competition for staff.

"Two sets of everything – from back-office staff to waste collection systems - and less choice about which libraries and waste sites residents could use.”

Click HERE to complete the county council’s survey by March 18.

The Melton & Syston Labour Party, which opposes the proposal of Conservative-led Leicestershire County Council to establish a single unitary authority, has launched its own consultation.

The Labour group suggests alternative options could include linking up with Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire; joining up with Northamptonshire; or linking up with Rutland.

Click on this LINK to complete its survey before the March 14 deadline.

The leaders of the seven district and borough councils in Leicestershire, including Melton’s Councillor Pip Allnatt, released a joint-statement earlier this month stating their opposition to County Hall’s proposals for a single council for the county.

They are working on an alternative plan which they say will give a stronger voice to local people.

The joint-statement says: “We have already made it clear that we have grave concerns over Leicestershire County Council’s proposals for a single unitary council for Leicestershire.

"With a population of around 750,000 people and 800-square miles of countryside including many towns and villages, it would be one of the biggest unitary authorities in the country.

"This would be too remote, too cumbersome and inaccessible, from the communities we serve.

“For the sake of our communities, we must keep the local in local government.”

Initial proposals need to be submitted to government by March 21 with a more detailed plan completed by November.

Agreement is needed on local government reorganisation before there could be any devolution approved.