Agenda item

To brief members on the key features and implications of the government’s English Devolution White Paper, to confirm the council’s position and next steps, and to recommend delegation of authority to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader of Council to undertake any work required to facilitate an effective response to the White Paper.

In moving the report, the Leader will move the following additional recommendations:

(i)            This Council resolves to oppose  the imposition of a large, remote and inaccessible mega-council in Leicestershire and instructs the Leader and Chief Executive to continue to fight these plans;

(ii)          Should the government be determined to press ahead with local government reorganisation, then the Council believes a single Leicestershire-wide council would be the worst option for Hinckley and Bosworth residents. Smaller unitary councils based on a group of similar existing districts would be more accessible and mean decisions taken closer to local residents;

(iii)         The government has indicated that reorganisation will lead to an enhanced role for town and parish councils. Hinckley is presently the only unparished part of the Borough. The Council therefore requests officers to bring forward at pace proposals to create a town council for Hinckley which the Council will consult Hinckley residents on.

Members received a report on the recent publication of the government’s English Devolution White Paper which set out the key points and implications for the Council. In presenting the report, the Leader, seconded by Councillor Bools, moved the recommendations within the report and the following additional recommendations:

(i)            This Council resolves to oppose the imposition of a large, remote and inaccessible mega-council in Leicestershire and instructs the Leader and Chief Executive to continue to fight these plans;

(ii)          Should the government be determined to press ahead with local government reorganisation, then the Council believes a single Leicestershire-wide council would be the worst option for Hinckley and Bosworth residents. Smaller unitary councils based on a group of similar existing districts would be more accessible and mean decisions taken closer to local residents;

(iii)         The government has indicated that reorganisation will lead to an enhanced role for town and parish councils. Hinckley is presently the only unparished part of the Borough. The Council therefore requests officers to bring forward at pace proposals to create a town council for Hinckley which the Council will consult Hinckley residents on.

During discussion, reference was made to:

·         The risk to discretionary services, should local government reorganisation go ahead

·         The importance of putting the needs of residents first

·         The lack of mandate and public consultation undertaken by the government in relation to local government reorganisation

·         The high cost of local government reorganisation which would result in no financial savings in the short to medium term

·         The disruption to public services as a result of reorganisation

·         Leicestershire County Council’s proposals for a single unitary authority which would result in decisions about the local area being taken by those who were distant from and not familiar with Hinckley & Bosworth.

Councillor Bray and eight other councillors stood to request voting on the motion be recorded.

The vote was taken as follows:

Councillors Bools, Bray, Cartwright, Cook, Cope, J Crooks, W Crooks, Flemming, C Gibbens, S Gibbens, Green, Hodgkins, Lynch, Moore, L Mullaney, M Mullaney, Pendlebury, Simmons, Smith, Stead-Davis, Sutton, Webber-Jones, Weightman and Williams voted FOR the motion (24);

Councillors C Allen, R Allen, Harris, Lambert and O’Shea abstained from voting.

The motion was therefore declared CARRIED and it was

RESOLVED –

(i)            The proposals set out in the Devolution White Paper be noted;

(ii)          The emerging position across Leicestershire and Rutland in response to the White Paper be noted;

(iii)         Authority be delegated to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of Council, to continue working with neighbouring local authorities and undertake any work required to facilitate an effective response to the White Paper;

(iv)         The imposition of a large, remote and inaccessible mega-council in Leicestershire be opposed and the Leader and Chief Executive be instructed to fight these plans;

(v)          Should the government be determined to press ahead with local government reorganisation, the Council believes a single Leicestershire-wide council would be the worst option for Hinckley and Bosworth residents. Smaller unitary councils based on a group of similar existing districts would be more accessible and mean decisions taken closer to local residents;

(vi)         Council requests officers bring forward at pace proposals to create a town council for Hinckley which the Council will consult Hinckley residents on.

Having declared an interest in the following item, Councillor Sutton left the meeting at 8.10pm.