Call for public to have say on all local Government reform options as consultation anticipated

Labour Party and independent Carlisle city councillors have written to the Secretary of State for local Government, Robert Jenrick, calling on the Government minister not to exclude any of the proposals for local Government reform submitted for consideration.

This request, led by the leader of the city council's Labour group Colin Glover, urges Mr Jenrick to appreciate the diverging viewpoints across Cumbria on what the best way forward for local Government changes in the county should be, and consult on all four options mooted by Cumbria's local authorities.

The letter, which has been signed by more than a dozen Labour and independent Carlisle city councillors, states that while "councils cannot agree" on the best way forward for local Government reform in Cumbria, "perhaps the public would give a clear direction".

It is widely anticipated that the public consultation process on local Government reorganisation will begin soon, though a formal announcement is yet to have been made by the Government.

While Mr Glover is keen to see all four options supported by local authorities in Cumbria consulted on, he, along with his fellow signatories to the letter sent to the Secretary of State, continues to argue that the "ongoing uncertainty" caused by the Covid-19 pandemic should result in a pause to the reorganisation process.

Mr Glover explained that he is concerned that local Government reorganisation is "so complex", taking it forward would mean all involved "would have to focus" on carrying out the reforms and the changes it would bring.

This, Mr Glover said, is at a time "when they should be focusing on keeping communities safe, then rebuilding out of the pandemic".

Mr Glover said that in terms of putting the wheels in motion on local Government reform in Cumbria, "we're only just setting off".

He noted "the immense amount of work that has to be done to get us to what the new authority or new authorities are going to look like", including the fact that "all the contracts that all the councils have got will have to be unpicked and reorganised".

Carlisle City Council's deputy leader, Conservative councillor Gareth Ellis, has recently argued against pausing the progression of local Government reform, stating that the county has been "waiting long enough" for change.

"There's always a reason not to do it," he said.

This is a sentiment that has also been echoed recently by city council leader, Conservative councillor John Mallinson.

"Now that we’ve started we need to press on with it," he said.

Mr Glover expressed concern that impending reform may lead council staff to worry "if they have a future with the council", resulting potentially in staff looking elsewhere for jobs "right at the moment when we need people the most".

"All of a sudden, you might find you don't have enough people to deliver local government reorganisation or deliver existing services."

Mr Glover added that he does not see the process of local Government reorganisation itself as "some kind of magic cure to help recovery" in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, if it is the wishes of the Government to press ahead with local Government reform, Mr Glover is keen to see that all of the options put to the Government by Cumbria's councils are put back to the public for consideration.

Preferences put to the Government by Cumbrian authorities include support for both one and two unitary authorities covering the county.

Among those in support of two unitary authorities, there is however a difference of opinion on where the split should occur.

One proposal is to split the county into east and west halves, while another favours a north and a south split.

A further proposal favours the creation of a "Morecambe Bay authority", which would involve bringing together Barrow, South Lakeland and the Lancaster district, leaving the other four Cumbrian authorities to form a separate unitary council.

There is substantial opposition among council leaders in Allerdale and Copeland at the prospect of the authorities being separated as part of a local Government reorganisation.

This would be the case under the north and south Cumbria split option, which would see Carlisle, Eden and Allerdale reformed into a north Cumbrian authority, and Copeland, Barrow and South Lakeland reformed into a south Cumbrian authority.

The preference among the Allerdale and Copeland council leadership is for Allerdale, Copeland and Carlisle to be formed into a west Cumbrian authority, leaving Eden, South Lakeland and Barrow to form an east Cumbrian authority.

It has however been stated by the leadership of both Carlisle and Eden that there is a preference for both to be part of the same unitary authority.

Cumbria County Council's leadership has expressed a preference for a single unitary authority covering the whole of Cumbria.