CLAIMS there is strong support for changes to local government have been branded as “deeply misleading” by the leader of Lichfield District Council.
Plans have been drawn up for a unitary authority to replace two-tier areas where different bodies provide council services, such as Staffordshire County Council and Lichfield District Council.
Initial proposals have been submitted, with the Government asking for more details by November.
Two alternative plans have been drawn up which could reshape the Lichfield district area – one a county-wide body and the other a unitary including six existing areas.
In a parliamentary debate, Local Government Minister Jim McMahon said there had been a “groundswell consensus” for the changes.
He said:
“I am pleased to say that every area – comprising of councils of all political stripes –has responded to the invitation to reorganise.
“They shared with Government an interim plan containing updates on their thinking about options for creating new unitary councils.
“The response demonstrates, without doubt, the groundswell consensus from communities that change is overdue and needed.”
But Cllr Doug Pullen, Conservative leader of Lichfield District Council, said the Labour Minister’s comments were “borderline arrogant”.
He said:
“Let’s be really honest about this, the Minister has made it crystal clear that if councils don’t submit plans for reorganisation, he’ll impose them.
“That’s not consensus, it’s coercion from central government.”
The council has opted to support the proposal which could see a unitary authority comprising of areas covered by Lichfield District Council, Cannock Chase District Council, East Staffordshire Borough Council, South Staffordshire District Council, Stafford Borough Council and Tamworth Borough Council.
But Cllr Pullen criticised the Government’s consultation process, saying that residents and local politicians had been “blindsided by vague plans and political pressure”.
He added that the move risked turning vibrant local councils into faceless administrative zones run miles away from communities.
Cllr Pullen said:
“There are undoubtedly councils in England who, for their own specific reasons, wish to re-organise.
“Staffordshire is not one of those areas – and to claim otherwise is utterly disingenuous.
“Lichfield doesn’t want or need a Whitehall-imposed reshuffle of our local democracy. If change is coming, it should be by us, for us and not a top-down fix cooked up in London.”
Change for the sake of change seems to be the direction that most politicians want go in.
Why, is it to make us think that they are “on the ball” and doing a good job?
Seems to work in many other places why not here?
Flossy may care to look at how effective the Birmingham Council is.
Their performance is the type of thing that results from massive non-localised areas. No local knowledge and focus. Terrible standards of service with little local accountability.