Council Leader Warns Services May Be ‘Squeezed Out’ Amid Local Government Overhaul

A leader of a Norfolk council has stated that a restructuring of local government might lead to certain services being “squeezed out” as authorities prioritize areas such as social services. The Labour government unveiled a “devolution revolution” in a document released on Monday, outlining proposals to restructure the existing two-tier framework of district and county councils. These councils could potentially be superseded by singular, unitary authorities, which would assume responsibility for a comprehensive range of services, including transport, social care, housing, planning, and eventually, fire and police services. Tim Adams, who leads the Liberal Democrats on North Norfolk District Council, commented: “I think the risk is that if the big services, like social care, children’s services and housing are all under one umbrella, something gets squeezed out.” The English Devolution white paper is being characterized as the most significant reorganization within English local government in half a century. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner expressed her desire to provide every resident with a directly-elected mayor and to establish expanded districts where a single council would manage all services within that geographical area. The government indicated its preference for current councils to collaborate in order to ascertain the preferred structure of a unitary authority they wish to propose and to delineate its geographical limits. Nevertheless, Adams characterized the white paper as “pretty incoherent” and voiced apprehension that it offered “little to no mention” of tourism or coastal defences. He stated: “We’re fundamentally very worried about our tourism economy.” He added: “We maintain things such as the pier, the country park in Holt, swimming pools and many other discretionary services. “Tourism really barely gets a mention.” Norfolk presently operates under a two-tier local government system, which was established in 1974, comprising one county council and seven district councils: District councils are tasked with responsibilities such as refuse collection, parks, and local planning. A number of these councils have already merged to share numerous services, yet they maintain their political autonomy from one another. The county council delivers services encompassing waste disposal, road maintenance, schools, libraries, and social care. With the introduction of new unitary authorities, all these functions would be consolidated under the governance of a single council within the expanded district. Certain counties, like Cornwall, already operate with only one council overseeing the entire county. Kay Mason Billig, the Conservative leader of Norfolk County Council, stated: “I am keen to engage with the government and our district councils.” She added: “Let’s put the people before politics and attempt to design something that is the right shape and size to deliver efficient, accountable services.” Prior devolution proposals concerning Norfolk and Suffolk have not been implemented. In 2016, the preceding Conservative government abandoned plans to transfer powers to a single mayor overseeing both Norfolk and Suffolk. Furthermore, in September of this year, the current government also cancelled proposals aimed at granting Norfolk and Suffolk increased powers. Ministers explained that the agreement lacked sufficient ambition, providing only for a directly elected leader instead of a mayor. Steve Morphew, who leads the Labour group on the county council, expressed optimism regarding these new developments. He remarked: “It is a very exciting prospect and a long-overdue opportunity to get a fit-for-purpose local government.” He concluded: “I look forward to getting down to the details to see something that we can all be proud of.” For updates on Norfolk news, follow BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.