LOCAL council leaders have vowed to continue to fight plans which would see the abolishment of district and borough councils across the county and a Warwickshire Unitary Authority set up it their place.
Leaders of Stratford District Council, Warwick District Council, North Warwickshire Borough Council and Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council, but not Rugby Borough Council, formally submitted their opposition to Warwickshire County Council’s bid to set up the single unitary authority, but to no avail.
The Government’s English Devolution White Paper, published on December 16, identified the Government’s intention to devolve powers from Westminster to more local “Strategic Authorities” and WCC has put itself forward to be one of the first.
The leaders of four district and borough councils across Warwickshire, including SDC leader Coun Susan Juned and WDC leader Coun Ian Davison, state that while they collectively welcome the opportunities that devolution may bring to their communities they are concerned about the haste being taken by WCC.
This submission is not only seeking the deferral of the scheduled May 2025 elections but also proposes, without any debate with the district and borough councils, that a single Warwickshire Unitary Authority be formed as soon as possible and that when formed, this authority would then become a member of the West Midlands Combined Authority.
WCC leader Coun Isobel Seccombe said: “Taking all things into account and thinking about the longer term interests of Warwickshire and the need for us to be in a position to shape our future and not be done to, I am approving the resolution set out in the papers; that I, as the leader of the council respond to the minister of state for local government and English devolution signalling the county council’s willingness to be considered for delivering local government reorganisation and devolution to the Government’s ambitious timeframe and recognising that, as a consequence, the Government may decide that it is necessary to postpone the May 2025 county council elections.”
A joint letter to Coun Seccombe from local council leaders, penned before the submission, reads: “We urge you withhold from requesting the deferral of the May 2025 elections. Instead, we would all wish to urgently enter meaningful, collaborative, and constructive discussions with the existing principal authorities within the county of Warwickshire to help properly consider the options that exist.”
The leaders add that now WCC has made its planned submission, they will be making it clear to the minister of state for local government and English devolution they do not support the proposal from WCC.
