Councils call for “urgent clarity” on how quickly review of LGR programme will be completed

The organisation warned that the review must result in a “material change of direction” if ministers are to avoid creating councils that are more costly and less financially sustainable than those they replace.

Earlier this month, the Government announced that following “updated and privileged legal advice”, ministers will review plans for Local Government Reorganisation (LGR).

Decisions on reorganisation in Essex, Hampshire, Norfolk and Suffolk and, where relevant, their neighbouring unitary authorities have been withdrawn in light of the new legal advice, while those for 14 other areas are being paused and reviewed.

After decisions made in both March and July, many of CCN’s members raised concerns over the process, how transparent it was, and how previous ministers arrived at decisions.

Welcoming plans for a review of the LGR programme in a letter to Local Government Minister Jim McMahon MP this week, the CCN urged the review to include:

• Re-affirming the existing statutory criteria for reorganisation and ensuring they are applied consistently and transparently across all decisions.

• Undertaking a transparent, evidence-based reassessment of the decisions and the ministerial advice underpinning these, ensuring the process is legally robust and compliant – not seeking to invite alternative proposals that go against the existing criteria.

• Reviewing implementation timescales and phasing, accounting for the complexity of reforms, delays to the programme and capacity of the government and wider sector.

CCN’s Chair-Elect Cllr Sean Matthews wrote: “While we recognise some of our members will have different views on the desirability of reorganisation moving forward, if it is to proceed, we need to ensure that the programme is delivered in a way that is consistent with the principles and criteria originally developed in partnership between ministers and local government.

“[…] The review should seek to realign the programme with (the original) criteria rather than revise them. This includes the population threshold of 500,000 or more, avoiding unnecessary and disruptive disaggregation and boundary change, and ensuring financial viability.

“[…] Unless this review results in a material change in direction, we will continue to face the prospect of large-scale fragmentation and complex boundary change that will create a pattern of reform that is more costly, less stable and less effective than the current two-tier system. This will ultimately undermine the government’s reform and devolution objectives.”

The letter added: “Where existing decisions or proposals command local support, align with the established criteria and are demonstrably sustainable, we would encourage government to explore ways to provide those areas with certainty at the earliest opportunity.

“It is also vital that this pause does not mean the momentum is lost on devolution and rewiring the state, with county councils the vital building blocks for growth.

Agreement must be reached by consent, and for areas that want devolution, government should continue with its pledged timescales of establishing strategic authorities in all places by the end of 2028.”

The full letter can be found here: https://uploads.countycouncilsnetwork.org.uk/enWAdjYAlI6AYUfsLXvyl