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23
Oct 2020
Battle lines drawn as councils to vote on local government shake-up
Battle lines have been drawn over the future of local government in North Yorkshire as political leaders reveal plans for a shake-up in the number of councils.
Both North Yorkshire County Council and the seven districts are to vote on their proposals in a few weeks, which would see proposals submitted to government to scrap the two-tier system.
Armed with accountancy firms PricewaterhouseCoopers and KPMG, both camps claim their models could save the county millions.
Today, district council leaders published their plans ahead of a submission to government.
The model, which the districts brought in KPMG to help devise, would see the county split in half with a council in the east and west.
The KPMG report, which the district councils have contributed £175,000 so far to pay for, outlines the case for two councils in the county.
It would see Craven, Harrogate, Richmondshire and Hambleton in the west, and Selby, City of York, Ryedale and Scarborough in the east.
The report shows district leaders compared 11 different options, one of which included a north/south divide and another with three unitary councils.
It also includes the gross value added, which is the measure of the value of goods and services produced in an area, for each region. The figures are based on data from the Office for National Statistics.
However, officials settled on an east/west model with 363,297 people in the west area and 465,375 in the east. Council leaders argue the model could save the county up to £56 million a year.
County council's single authority plan
Meanwhile, the county council wants a model which would see a single unitary council for the entire county alongside the City of York Council.
Its plan is due to be published next week ahead of a meeting on November 4 when the proposal is expected to be agreed and submitted to Secretary of State for Local Government, Robert Jenrick.
Read more:
- Government invites North Yorkshire councils to submit restructure plans
- North Yorkshire devolution: what happens now?
County council officials said the model could deliver up to £252 million in savings over five years to support crucial frontline services.
The county has drafted in PwC to estimate the savings, which authority bosses say could amount to an initial £30 million a year.
Cllr Gareth Dadd, deputy leader and executive councillor for finance, said the council had an “unique” opportunity with the model.
The district councils will now vote to submit their model to government, while the county council will also vote on its proposal.
The government has set a deadline of November 9 for outline proposals to be submitted. A deadline of December 9 has been set for full proposals.
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