The Boundary Committee met with the leaders of the various Councils in Norwich yesterday and the following is a note of the process that they intend to adopt.
Subject: Update from today’s meeting with the Boundary Committee
With our colleagues from other local authorities in Norfolk we met the Boundary Committee today to hear more about the process and timetable of the forthcoming local government review in Norfolk which will start formally next Monday, 3rd March.
The review will run in four phases.
Phase one will run from 3rd March to 11th April
This will see the committee consider concepts for change and talk with authorities about them. We are being asked to look again at the concepts we have submitted and ask ourselves if we wish to vary or amend them now that the Committee also has to advise on a possible Yarmouth/Waveney authority as part of the solution for Norfolk and Suffolk. We will want to give a considered view on this matter.
Phase Two will run from 14th April to 4th July
This will involve further discussions between and within authorities and the Boundary Committee to help the committee formulate a proposal or set of proposals for consultation. We will be asked to help the committee with evidence and information about emerging options and their fit with the five set criteria.
Phase Three will run from 7th July to 26th September.
The Committee will publish its proposals by 7th July and then consult on them. It may publish one set of proposals, or more, but if so, must indicate its preferred option. The advance warning of this precise consultation period should give partners and individuals sufficient notice to ensure that they plan to respond if they want to make their views known.
Phase Four will run from 29th September to 19th December
The Boundary Committee will consider all the responses received and then provide its advice to the Secretary of State in the form of a recommendation. This could be an alternative/amended proposal to that which was consulted upon but is unlikely to be radically different.
I would be very pleased to hear the views of everyone in Clavering.
There is then a four week period in which people can make further representations to the Secretary of State who will then either agree to implement the recommendation either as its stands or with some modifications, or reject it or ask for further information.
If the decision for unitary change is made, it will be swiftly followed by an electoral review to agree the wards or divisions of the new unitary council or councils.
The intention is that any new authority commences on 1 April 2010.
The Boundary Committee has no powers to decide earlier whether or not the county council elections planned for May 2009 will go ahead, only the Secretary of State can do so when the decisions about any council(s) has been made.
It was a good meeting and we look forward to working with our Boundary Committee and local government colleagues in the best interests of everyone we serve.
Joanna Hannam
Head of Communications and Customer Service
I thought you might be interested in the latest news about Unitary proposals for Norfolk. The County Council’s views follow. I believe that if we are to have a unitary authority, a single county wide authority is best for Norfolk.
Local Government Review
How many councils should there be in Norfolk? Could we simplify local government arrangements, save money and give local people more say over decisions that affect their area?
These are some of the issues that the Boundary Committee is considering as it begins work to review current arrangements in our county. At present seven district councils provide services such as council tax collection and benefits, housing, street cleaning and leisure, and Norfolk County Council, which covers all of Norfolk, provides services such as social care, fostering and adoption, child protection, education, public transport planning and support and highways maintenance.
The Government has asked the Boundary Committee to advise, by 31 December, whether a new unitary council or councils covering Norfolk and maybe all or part of Waveney, would be a better arrangement. Unitary councils provide all the services that their residents need.
Our preferred option is for a single council for Norfolk with strong devolved arrangements to ensure that decisions and budgets best handled at community local level are taken there. We think this would be the simplest, most cost effective solution and safeguard people’s love of Norfolk as a county.
We think two unitary councils could potentially be a solution and are prepared to examine the evidence with others, but we think any more than two would not be in the interests of council taxpayers or Norfolk as a whole.
The Boundary Committee is an independent body that will base its recommendations on evidence. We will work with them and hope that many people will make their views known on this very important matter in the months ahead.
We are a high performing council with excellent staff, a strong track record of good service delivery, strong financial management and effective partnership working. Our focus over the coming 12 months is to continue with the hard work that underpins this, and make sure that the long term interests of Norfolk and all its communities are best served by any changes
By: tonytomkinson on March 17, 2008
at 3:40 pm
Well; the Boundary Committee have published their suggestions for the Norfolk Local Government review in Norfolk. I am very pleased to read that their suggestion is for a single Unitary Council.
To my mind this has many advantages over the current system and is certainly the best option from the various suggestions made be the District Councils.
We have always known that any change will be expensive, but I think that this will be the least expensive of the various options. We can only wait and see when the budgets are drawn up.
What about Lowestoft… I think this is a good idea. For some years Gt Yarmouth and Lowestoft have been working together with the Urban Regeneration Company, being part of the same authority will strengthen the working relationship and will be good for the economy of both towns as a result. So much effort is being put into the off shore wind turbine industry for the North Sea it will be great that both towns will be working together. As a result we should be able to make sure that the whole industry for the North Sea is based in Norfolk. It will bring much employment and prosperity to our County.
I would be delighted to hear how you feel about the proposals.
By: tonytomkinson on July 7, 2008
at 6:58 pm
Norfolk reacts to Boundary Committee draft proposal
Daniel Cox, Leader of Norfolk County Council, said: “We submitted a very strong and clear case for a new, single unitary council based on hard evidence. I’m pleased that the Boundary Committee has recognised the strength of our carefully considered case today and look forward to hearing views in the weeks ahead.
“We said all along that one, new local council for the whole of Norfolk would be the simplest, clearest and most cost efficient solution. It is the least disruptive in terms of its impact on the ‘big ticket’ services such as social care and education and I am pleased today’s draft proposal keeps Norfolk and Norwich together.
The addition of Lowestoft is an interesting proposition. In making it, the Boundary Committee is clearly persuaded about the close connection between Yarmouth and Lowestoft. We will consider this carefully, talk with our colleagues in Lowestoft and Suffolk and listen to what others, especially local stakeholders, have to say.
“There is a long way to go before the Boundary Committee is in a position to make a final recommendation – and there will then be further time before we get a decision from the government.
“Work to test the affordability of the draft proposal starts now. We are confident that by replacing so many local authorities with one, a new single council for Norfolk and Lowestoft would readily demonstrate its worth. It would enable the lowest level of council tax, deliver the quickest level of savings and put the most money back into valued public services.
“I am very clear that this draft proposal would not create some sort of super county council – far from it. The proposed new council would be completely new, building on the best from all the current councils, looking and feeling local wherever people live. It would be very simple to contact and easy to access and no-one will be in any doubt about who does what and who is responsible for what. ”
*You can read Norfolk County Council’s submission for a single unitary council at http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/lgr
By: tonytomkinson on July 10, 2008
at 12:44 pm
This is a follow up on the comments above, with a little more detail. In most parishes and Parish Councils one of the main topics for debate is the Boundary Committee’s proposals for local government in Norfolk. Time is running out for responces to be sent to the BC, I would like to take this oportunity to urge evryone to make their feelings known. Please don’t do that in a negative way e.g by saying “Everything is rubbish and we should not be having this review.” Please explain your point of view and give reasons then the BC will be able to take your comments on board.
The County Council’s prefered proposal, based on evidence , was for a single local council for Norfolk. This would have five areas for planning, scrutiny and area offices, each with a Cabinet Member held to account.
The proposed Council would have one telephone number and website, customer service centres in all market towns and main urban areas and devolved arrangements for community planning and decision making.
Norwich, King’s Lynn, Great Yarmouth and Thetford would have stronger economic planning and development arrangements and important civic roles – such as Mayors – would be protected and enhanced. New unitary councillors would be much better supported to do their jobs well.
This new council would look and feel local wherever you live, strip out most layers of bureaucracy and have the most scope for efficiency. With a single local council everyone would know who is responsible for what. It would also enable the lowest level of council tax, deliver the quickest savings (eight councils into one) and put the most money into valued public services.
In adding Lowestoft, the Boundary Committee clearly recognised its close connection with Great Yarmouth. This is being considered carefully and your thoughts would be much appreciated.
The Boundary Committee wants to hear your opinion before they recommend any changes. Please do make your views known before the closing date of 26 September 2008.
On line at http://www.boundarycommittee.org.uk, or by phone on 020 7271 0512 or by e-mail to reviews@boundary committee.org.uk. There is also a mailing address which can be obtaine from the web site or from your copy of “Your Norfolk” whic will be with you in the next few days.
By: tonytomkinson on August 21, 2008
at 8:10 pm
A little more information is becoming available which may interest residents especially Parish Councillors.
What is a Community Partnership Board?
Community Partnership Boards based around market and seaside towns and clusters of neighbourhoods in urban areas would be the unitary council’s locally based arrangements that would discuss local concerns, consult on and agree community priorities and decide what the unitary council’s local budgets should be spent on. The precise membership has yet to be consulted upon and agreed, but people tell us that the proportion of elected representatives on the boards is key so that people know that they can be held accountable for the decisions they take.
They would draw up the community plan and agree a community charter that sets out the services people can expect from their local council and which they can use to hold the council to account. They would spend a community budget in consultation with local people and encourage and enable them to help shape council policies and services to meet community needs.
What the money is spent on will be entirely up to each Board in consultation with local people. In one area they may decide to provide more facilities for young people, in another they may decide to improve their village halls, extend the library opening hours or provide an additional bus service. It will be for the community to decide.
The details need to be worked out and agreed with others over a transition period as it says in the proposal, but for example, these local Boards could include Town Mayor, Town and Parish Councillors, Unitary Councillors and representatives from key public service partners. Unitary councillors, working and voting alongside elected councillors from Town and Parish Councils in their areas, would be advised and supported by representatives from the police, health service, voluntary sector, education and the business community to make sure the new council meets local priorities and help to hold it to account for its performance.
The new Community Boards would meet in public and be open to public scrutiny, have special budgets to spend on the community and be given responsibility for commissioning some local services.
Would the Community Partnership Boards replace Town and Parish Councils?
No. Town and Parish Councils are statutory bodies in their own right and will remain in place, retaining all their existing powers and responsibilities and where they wish to, and are able to do so, taking on some new ones.
The proposal sees Parish and Town Councils as a foundation building block for very local services and community planning.
By: tonytomkinson on September 4, 2008
at 7:19 pm