Local government minister Simon Clarke has sidestepped a request by Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones to state the minimum population size for a new unitary authority.
Mr Jones submitted a written question asking what the minimum size should be to achieve value for money and quality service delivery.
But Mr Clarke’s response did not give a figure. He said:
“Whilst traditionally various population ranges for unitary councils have been referred to, where a unitary council is proposed its particular circumstances need to be considered when assessing whether its population would be appropriate.”
Mr Clarke added the government’s devolution and local recovery white paper, due to be published this autumn, would provide more details.
‘Too big and remote’
Population size is a critical issue in the ongoing devolution debate in North Yorkshire.
North Yorkshire County Council has proposed creating one large authority that would serve all 610,000 people in the county besides York, which would remain a separate unitary authority.
The seven district councils, including Harrogate Borough Council, have put forward an alternative east / west model that would result in two smaller authorities.
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The district councils claim the county council’s model is too big and remote and their alternative suggestion would lead to more responsive local government.
In June, Mr Clarke said the size of unitary authorities “depended on local circumstances but as a rule of thumb are expected to be substantially in excess of 300,000 to 400,000”.
The Stray Ferret asked Mr Jones if he was satisfied with Mr Clarke’s response and his view on the best devolution model for North Yorkshire but he had not replied by the time of publication.
