LGA chair, Sir Simon Milton, has called on councils affected by yesterday's (Wednesday's) expected reorganisation announcement to restore any broken relationships quickly. An announcement about which of the 16 shortlisted bids would be granted unitary status was expected yesterday (Wednesday), after The MJ went to press. Sir Simon has warned that the reorganisation race has ‘been every bit as debilitating as was predicted'. ‘The whole thing has been a side show to the real business of getting local agreements off the ground,' he said. ‘It's been all the more difficult in some two-tier areas because of the ill will that's been created.' The Department for Communities and Local Government is already facing a judicial review, brought by Shrewsbury and Atcham BC, with Harrow LBC and Congleton BC. Last week, Durham City Council announced that it would seek legal advice on a possible challenge, if Durham CC was given unitary status.
