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Councils in Norfolk are going head-to-head after the county council made the shock announcement it was drawing up plans for unitary status. The county had vehemently opposed Norwich City Council's unitary plans, but Norfolk CC's cabinet has now asked officers to draw up business plans for either one or two unitary councils for the entire county. Norwich City Council's unitary bid was referred by the secretary of state to the Boundary Committee in July, to look at options for a larger, single authority. Norfolk CC leader, Daniel Cox, said he believed a single authority would be the best option, and the county council planned to submit a proposal to the Boundary Committee. ‘I am wholly confident that the council, in full liaison with its many partners and local people, will respond well to the challenges which lie ahead,' said Cllr Cox. Last month, local government minister, John Healey, said the door was still open for more unitary councils to be created. North Norfolk DC chief executive, Philip Burton, said all eight authorities met in Norwich on Monday and signed a protocol to share data with each other on this matter. He said his council was working with Great Yarmouth BC and Breckland DC on alternative proposals. He said districts in the county would work on plans for either three or four unitary councils in Norfolk, which would also be submitted to the Boundary Committee. Bedford BC mayor, Frank Branston, has slammed Bedfordshire CC after the county council claimed the borough's unitary bid was ‘risky and unaffordable'. ‘These petulant outpourings from the county council show its lack of understanding of local government finance,' said Mr Branston. ‘It lacks substance and demonstrates its desperation to remain in existence, regardless of the cost to local taxpayers.' A new report by academics at Salford University has questioned the usefulness of splitting Cheshire into two. The report by the Centre for Sustainable Urban and Regional Futures (SURF) claims that any decision to split the county in two ‘would represent an over-simplistic and partial understanding of economic thinking'.

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WHITEHALL

County launches late bid for unitary status

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