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Local government minister, John Healey, has rejected claims by leading academics that reorganisation has been an undemocratic and expensive farce. Mr Healey told local government weekly The MJ the introduction of nine new unitary authorities would lead to annual savings of £100m, and had the backing of local leaders and residents in the areas. ‘I strongly refute suggestions that we have been anything other than completely open throughout this process – with parliament, with councils and with the public,' Mr Healey said. The minister was responding to claims made in a recent book by senior academics Michael Chisholm and Steve Leach. The book, Botched business: The damaging process of reorganising local government, has fuelled criticism of the Government's policy by George Jones, emeritus professor of government at the London School of Economics, and John Stewart, emeritus professor at INLOGOV. In an article this week, Profs Jones and Stewart back the book's claims that ministers changed the eligibility criteria for unitary status after the first round of applications. They also support allegations that ministers misled local government and the public over the financial benefits of reorganisation. CLG officials claimed the first five unitaries would secure £75m in annual savings. However, Profs Chisholm and Leach claim savings would be around £25m or less, and the department ignored auditors' indications that efficiencies would not meet expectations. The academics also accuse ministers of failing to consult the public over boundary changes and the impact on local services. Mr Healey responded: ‘The claims made just don't stack up. Independent financial experts thoroughly analysed the proposals, and we based our assessment of financial cost on their findings, not figures from councils. The proposals we have supported were made by elected and accountable councils, not by us. This is a democratic route to reform that has never been tried before so, inevitably, the process has been challenging.'

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WHITEHALL

Healey rejects 'farce' claims over unitaries

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