CUMBRIA’S seven local authorities are struggling to agree on how the current two-tier local government structure could be reorganised.

While there is a generally consensus for change, Cumbria County Council, along with district councils in Carlisle, Eden, Copeland, Allerdale, Barrow and South Lakeland are unlikely to agree on what this might look like. Now though, any proposal would need unanimous agreement.

Housing minister James Brokenshire has said consent provisions in the process currently used for reorganisations fall away in March and any future proposal considered under the Cities and Local Government Devolution Act process requires “unanimous consent from all councils.”

County council leader Stewart Young said it was a long-running issue and the Government’s requirements for submissions have continued to shift, with the latest circumstances yet to be set out.

Mr Young revisited the issue with the district councils this summer, He said options discussed included a single unitary authority as well as three options for two unitary councils, for example a north-south divide. But none could be agreed on.

He said there was “absolutely no chance” all seven authorities could unanimously agree on a proposal.

The county council is now making its own expression of interest to the Government and will consider its approach on December 20.

“The districts generally don’t support a single unitary but they might support two. We were trying to agree what that would look like. If you get agreement it strengthens the case,” he said. “At the end of the day only the Government can make this happen. It feels like they keep moving the goal posts.”

Mr Young added that it would be better resolved by an independent body such as the Boundary Commission

He said: “We have got a councillor for everyday of the year with a population of half a million.

“The financial savings are obvious but I think it goes beyond that. It would be easier to deliver services and for accountability.”

Mike Starkie, Mayor of Copeland, said: “[Stewart Young] will not be supported by any of the district councils, including those led by his Labour colleagues, as he refuses to open up the debate to look at all options that may be available or engage in any creative thinking to develop a bespoke solution for Cumbria.”

“The big mistake was walking away from the devolution deal offered by the Government in 2016 that would have seen Cumbria leading the way in local government reform like Manchester, Liverpool and the West Midlands and given us an elected mayor for Cumbria and a seat at the top table as well as a point of accountability to the community we represent.”

Mr Starkie thinks the county council should be dissolved and the six district councils should form a combined authority, with the leaders of each representing their district on a cabinet led by an elected mayor.

“Over time we would see individual districts working closer together sharing more services and not competing in a shallow pool for recruitment but working collectively and evolving towards three unitary authorities, possibly even two, over time saving millions as we go and avoiding the car crash disruption of forcing districts into a single unitary that no one wants and that won’t work and disrupting the services we provide.”