Unitary
Reorganisation battle lines drawn over think-tank report
The bitter war of words between counties and districts over reorganisation stepped up this week as battle lines were drawn around a new think-tank report.
Jenrick dashes county reorganisation hopes
Local government secretary Robert Jenrick has torpedoed plans for widespread reorganisation beyond the three areas he has invited to submit unitary proposals.
Size isn't everything
If the advocates for 'big unitary' paused for a moment they may want to address the democratic challenge of creating too few councils with too many councillors, argues Paul Wheeler.
Three areas invited to submit unitary proposals
The Government has today invited councils in three areas to submit proposals for the creation of unitary local authorities by April 2023.
Unitary aims to set standard for devo deals
Buckinghamshire Council is to reveal proposals for a devolution deal that it hopes will become a template for non-metropolitan authorities nationwide.
Unitary 'mayhem' has failed to arrive thus far
The public may care often care a lot about key local services but aren't so interested in the structure of local government, says Ben Page. He expects councils' endless ability to just 'get on with it' on instructions from Whitehall will continue.
Williams in reorganisation rescue bid to Boris
The County Councils’ Network’s (CCN) Conservative leader has made a brazen direct appeal to Prime Minister Boris Johnson as he seeks to salvage the reorganisation agenda.
County unitaries join growing network
Two county unitaries are among five local authorities that have joined the growing Unitary Councils’ Network (UCN) as tensions bubble around reorganisation.
District demands withdrawal of unitary plan
Nuneaton & Bedworth BC has confronted Warwickshire CC over proposals to create a new authority covering the whole county.
Council leaders told to start preparing for self-isolation support scheme
English council leaders have been asked to start preparing to implement financial support for people who are required to self-isolate until the end of January.
Think-tank proposes axing hundreds of councils
England’s 349 councils should be replaced with 69 unitary authorities, a think-tank has argued.
Councils plead for further devolution
Local authorities require more devolved powers to drive improvements in health and social care, MPs have been told.
Cumbria plots course for reorganisation
The county council has drawn up a business case for a single unitary council that could produce savings of up to £52m.
Countywide unitaries ‘could save £3bn’
Replacing two-tier counties with one unitary authority could deliver almost £3bn savings over five years, according to research published by the County Councils Network (CCN) today.
Three districts table Gloucestershire devolution proposals
Three of Gloucestershire’s district councils have proposed creating two unitary authorities in the county.
Somerset districts publish reorganisation proposals
District councils in Somerset have proposed the creation of two unitary councils and a combined authority in the county.
Warwickshire districts oppose ‘power grab’
A county council report concludes that a single unitary represents the best option for local government reorganisation.
Clarke’s pop quiz
The English reorganisation debate has shone a light on proposed new unitaries, particularly the idea of optimum population sizes. Heather Jameson analyses some of the research. Economic geography seems to be the driving factor under consideration.
Fears for small unitaries over Clarke's reorganisation shake-up
Existing small unitaries could be at risk in the looming reorganisation shake-up after the Government failed to offer assurances about their future.
A Greater Essex Combined Authority is as important as unitary government
A combined authority on the footprint of the Greater Essex boundary is the right way forward as it offers ‘a sense of identity and is large enough to be effective strategically and be taken seriously by Government’, argues Gavin Jones.
