Plan unveiled to scrap all district councils in Warwickshire

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Plans to scrap all five district councils in Warwickshire to make way for a single authority have been revealed.



The move would see Nuneaton and Bedworth, North Warwickshire and Rugby Borough Council, as well as Stratford-on-Avon and Warwick District Council, replaced by a single county-wide body.

It would bring Warwickshire into line with Coventry which already operates under a single tier system.

Warwickshire is currently a two-tier local authority area which means some services are delivered by Warwickshire County Council - such as social care, highways and education - and others are delivered by the smaller councils - such as housing, leisure and refuse collection.

Warwickshire County Council, which currently oversees the five smaller authorities, is championing the suggestion and will lead a public debate on the topic on Tuesday, February 25, in Shire Hall in Warwick.

The county council believes it is in the public interest to explore the opportunities of unitary local government as the council tries to reduce spending by £92million over the next four years.

Coun Izzi Seccombe, leader of the county council, said: “When we consulted with the public on the proposals for our budget savings, a number of respondents indicated that we should be considering unitary local government to protect services.

“There are 545,000 residents, more than £1billion in funding and we have 272 councillor roles across six councils representing us.

“There have already been discussions with the Leaders of the three main political parties in the county council, and a report will go for debate at a meeting of the Full Council on Tuesday, February 25.

“We have a significant role to play in delivering essential local services for the people of Warwickshire and should do so in the most effective and efficient way.

“The intention is to start an open and inclusive debate which will have at its core the interests of our citizens, and what makes sense to them, and the long term viability of local government in Warwickshire.”

Officials at the county council believe the changes would result in the number of local councillors being slashed from 272 to around 100.

Potential benefits could include a reduction in council tax and improvements in the efficiency of services.

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Single Warwickshire council would be a ‘disaster’ says Nuneaton borough leader



Coun Dennis Harvey, leader of Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council , told the Telegraph the idea of scrapping the county’s five district and borough councils was a non-starter.

Warwickshire County Council has announced a public debate at Shire Hall, in Warwick, on Tuesday about plans to introduce a single authority in the county .

County council officials claim a single tier system would improve efficiency and reduce costs across the region.

Coun Harvey said: “The idea of a unitary authority would be a disaster for the north of the county. We would be forgotten even more than we are already.

“Already the county is run by the people from the south. If they want to talk about local government being local, let’s abolish the county council.

"I believe in keeping local government local. Nuneaton and Bedworth people know about Nuneaton and Bedworth, not people from the south of the county. I would be the first to admit I know nothing about how to run Stratford or Leamington.”

Coun Harvey added he thought the idea had been created to mask the problems facing the county council as they look to make £92million of cuts over the next four years.

“It is nothing more than a smokescreen started by Izzi Seccombe (leader of Warwickshire County Council) to cover the enormous cuts being made by the county. The cuts are appalling, particularly in the north of the county.

“There will be opposition from the majority of districts to this and there can be no unitary government if all the different councils don’t agree. It is a non-starter and they are wasting a lot of time and money with this idea. It is just not possible under current government thinking.”

Asked if Nuneaton and Bedworth would look to leave Warwickshire and join Coventry should the changes be forced through, Coun Harvey said: “I think that is a very hypothetical question. We would not want to be swallowed up by other areas.

“Nuneaton and Bedworth consistently has the lowest council tax despite all the government cuts.

“We have kept salaries and payments down and, when you look at senior officers in Warwickshire, they have enormous salaries and cabinet responsibility payments.”

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Warwickshire council accused of making a 'power grab' over plans for single county authority

A leading politician has accused Warwickshire County Council’s leader of attempting a ‘power grab’ over plans for a single ruling authority in the county.

Coun Mick Stanley, leader of North Warwickshire Borough Council, has levelled the claim at council leader Izzi Seccombe over plans to scrap all five district and borough councils in the region.

Proposals to replace Nuneaton & Bedworth, North Warwickshire and Rugby borough councils, as well as Stratford-on-Avon and Warwick district councils, with a single ruling authority will be pursued after they were voted through at a full council meeting.

Coun Stanley repeated concerns, previously raised by members of Nuneaton & Bedworth, that a single authority ruling from the south would have a negative impact on the north of the county.

He said: “The proposal by county Conservatives at Warwick to abolish borough councils and to transfer all power to Warwick is a move condemned by the leaders of the both the Conservative and Labour groups on our council.

“The county council has put up their council tax this year. North Warwickshire Borough Council has held the council tax down three years running.

“Now the county council wants to grab all our money and make all the decisions about our services miles away in Warwick.

“We have looked after North Warwickshire council tax payers but they want to transfer some of our money to help people in South Warwickshire.

“They are holding an expensive consultation on this idea but from our point of view it’s a disgusting waste of time and money.

“Of course we will work with other councils such as Nuneaton & Bedworth, to share services and cut costs; but we will not bow down before a power grab from Coun Seccombe.

“They voted to close libraries, switch off the street lights and cut the nursery education centres and still put up council taxes. I say keep power local in North Warwickshire, where we are closer to the people.

“Keep your hands off North Warwickshire.”

The idea would need the backing of all district and borough councils in order to come to fruition but Warwick District Council have so far boycotted the discussion.

County officials believe it could help cut spending by a required £92million over the next four years.