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The Government has published its plans to implement all the new unitary authorities by 1 April 2009. A discussion paper, Council's proposals for unitary local government: An approach to implementation, was published last month and stakeholders have until 28 September to get their comments to the Department for Communities and Local Government. The paper covers the major issues of staffing, representation, finance and continuity. Says local government minister, John Healey: ‘I am very clear that all authorities, whether districts or counties, will need to work together in conjunction with their partners to make sure this process is as effective as possible and that all transition costs must be met from existing budgets.' Subject to the parliamentary process, the Local Government Bill should become law in the autumn, and the paper recommends that all affected councils should start working together on its implementation ‘without delay'. While it emphasises that restructuring is about the creation of new authorities, it says that when a district or county council covers the same area as a proposed new unitary, it would be ‘more straightforward' if that body is treated as a ‘continuation' of the old one. But, in such cases, the change to unitary should not be seen as a ‘takeover' by the council's councillors and officers. The new unitaries will have new sets of councillors and a chief executive, together with senior officer posts, and ‘will be advertised and subject to open competition'. In practical terms, Cornwall, Durham, Northumberland and Wiltshire CCs will become transitional authorities so they can prepare for reorganisation, with unitaries then taking on the district functions on 1 April 2009. Both Exeter City Council and Ipswich BC will become transitional councils, before taking up the county functions on the same date. Bedford BC will also not be abolished and take on county functions on 1 April 2009. The paper adds: ‘The approach in the remaining area of Bedfordshire would depend on the unitary proposals received in response to the invitation that the secretary of state is now minded to issue.' In the case of Chester City Council's two unitary bids, two shadow authorities will be created, which will become the new councils from April 2009 onwards. The paper anticipates that between 80% and 90% of staff in affected authorities will transfer over to the new body and that new Local Area Agreements will need to be in place for the new geographical areas from 2009/10 onwards.

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WHITEHALL

Countdown to the new councils

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