Norwich and Exeter react with dismay over Pickles' plan to ditch unitary proposals

Norwich and Exeter councils have described as “a complete outrage” and “a remarkable affront on the democratic process” reported comments from the new Communities Secretary that he plans to introduce legislation repealing the unitary status the two local authorities were awarded just before the general election.

Eric Pickles is understood to have ordered civil servants at the Department for Communities and Local Government to conduct a review of the proposals.

Cllr Pete Edwards, vice-chair of Exeter’s implementation executive, said: “This is a complete outrage. People, politicians and business in Exeter all backed a unitary authority. Parliament backed a unitary. Now a man only in the job for two days, who will have had no time to study the benefits an Exeter unitary offers residents, is prepared to unpick over four years work and retain the clearly broken two tier system.

“All rational people accept that the two-tier system has had its day, particularly in times of economic hardship. Who would retain a system that is full of duplication, waste and lacks local accountability?”

Edwards said that as the Communities Secretary has yet to indicate the timetable for the legislation, Exeter’s implementation executive would continue to meet and plan for the introduction of unitary status.

Exeter chief executive Philip Bostock said Pickles’ comments were “unhelpful in the extreme”, and expressed the hope that “before finally making up his mind, the new minister would at least be willing to listen to the arguments”.

Norwich City Council also said it would strongly resist any move to overturn the creation of a new unitary. The local authority said it would lobby the city’s two MPs and seek an urgent meeting with ministers.

Cllr Steve Morphew, leader of Norwich and chair of its implementation executive, said: “If this [the move to quash the legislation] is true, this is a remarkable affront on the democratic process within a week of an overwhelming number of voters supporting parties in Norwich in favour of a new unitary council for the city."

Morphew claimed the unitary authority would deliver millions of pounds of savings and more joined up services. Like Exeter, the Norwich implementation executive will continue to work towards unitary status.

The leader of Devon County Council, which opposed Exeter being granted unitary status, meanwhile called on the government to repeal the legislation quickly.

John Hart said: “So far we have not spend too much money on opposing the plans for a unitary council. But if it is not killed and killed quickly, then we are in danger of having to start spending serious money on separating Exeter’s finances from the finances of the rest of the county council ready for them to go it alone next year. I have always said it would be financial lunacy to set up a separate Exeter unitary council.”

Before the election, the judge presiding over the judicial review of the government’s decision to grant unitary status to Exeter and Norwich reserved judgement. The case was heard at the Royal Courts of Justice on 29-30 April.