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Concerns raised over local authority restructure

Emma Howgego
BBC political reporter, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
BBC Front of Peterborough town hall, a red-brick building with four columns by the entrance.BBC
Peterborough City Council would be merged with other nearby councils under the proposals

Seventy per cent of people who have responded to a survey about council reorganisation said they had concerns over potential changes.

Proposals to create two large unitary authorities across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough have been put forward as part of a national government requirement to replace the current district, county and city councils.

Peterborough City Council said so far 2,000 people across the area had responded to its survey over the plans.

Dennis Jones, the authority's leader, has urged local residents to take part in the review, which is open until 20 July.

Three options for creating new unitary councils across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough have been identified by council leaders.

The options included merging councils in a north-west and south-east grouping, a north and south grouping or east and west grouping.

Unitary council proposals

  • Proposal A would mean the first unitary council would include Peterborough City Council, Huntingdonshire District Council, and Fenland District Council. The second unitary council would include Cambridge City Council, East Cambridgeshire District Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council
  • Proposal B would see Peterborough City Council, East Cambridgeshire District Council, Fenland District Council and Huntingdonshire District Councils working as a unitary authority. Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council would form the other
  • Proposal C would include Peterborough City Council, East Cambridgeshire District Council and Fenland District Council as a combined council. This would leave Cambridge City Council, Huntingdonshire District Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council forming the second authority

Peterborough City council is currently run as a single unitary authority.

The rest of Cambridgeshire is run as a two-tier structure, with Cambridgeshire County Council in charge of some services and smaller district councils in charge of others.

The government's guidance said each new unitary should cover a population of about 500,000 people.

This means existing, smaller unitary authorities, such as Peterborough, would have to explore combining with neighbouring districts.

Jones said: "We know that local government reorganisation may not sound that exciting to many of our residents, but it is the biggest shake-up of local government in a generation and will mean a new council serving our residents from 2027.

"It is for this reason why I encourage everyone in the city to take part in the engagement exercise so that we can factor their thoughts and feelings into the proposals we submit to government later in the year."

Dennis Jones stares at the camera with a smile on his face. He wears a navy top and stands against a white background.
Peterborough City Council leader, Dennis Jones, is urging local residents to fill in the survey

The plans for two larger councils have been met with concern by some MPs.

On Tuesday, Huntingdon MP Ben held a debate in Parliament and criticised the way the consultation was being carried out.

"Cambridgeshire residents have been presented with just three options on which to give their opinions... These proposals were apparently narrowed down from six options," he stated.

"However, these have not been published, and it is difficult to know, even as an MP, how they were decided."

Ben Obese-Jecty Ben stares at the camera, he wears a navy suit, white shirt and dark pink tie. In the background is an old building with a variety of different bricks. Ben Obese-Jecty
Ben Obese-Jecty has raised concerns about negative impact on Huntingdonshire residents

Obese-Jecty also raised concerns about how councils finances would be merged.

"Huntingdonshire could well find itself propping up financially unviable unitary authorities, meaning that the work we have done and are doing to make Huntingdonshire a fantastic place to live and work may be undone," he said.

At the time of the three-proposal announcement, Peterborough MP, Andrew Pakes and North West Cambridgeshire MP, Sam Carling, said they had "significant concerns" about the implications for Peterborough.

In a joint statement they said: "We're a proud city with a strong history, and merging our council wholesale with neighbouring authorities risks taking the focus away from Peterborough's issues, as well as damaging local services.

"Wholesale district merging is not the answer for Peterborough."

Kate MoserAndon/BBC Andrew Pakes and Sam Carling face the camera with their hands behind their backs. They both wear dark coloured suits and ties. In the background is a cycle park and glass fronted building. Kate MoserAndon/BBC
MPs Andrew Pakes and Sam Carling say the have "significant concerns" about the merger plans

During the Westminster debate, Jim McMahon, the minister for local government and English devolution, responded to concerns.

He said: "Our plans for reorganisation will create structures that are simpler, more efficient and clearer to the public that local government is there to serve.

"This means that residents can access good public services without paying, as they do today, the two-tier premium.

"We must take the brilliant leadership being shown by district and county councillors across the country, and move it into local government structures that are simpler and more sustainable."

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