House of Commons · Urgent Question
15 January 2025 · 37 other contributors
Opened by David Simmonds Con Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner
Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.
David Simmonds raised concerns about local government reorganisation 2025-01-15 in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
Key points
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.
Opened the debate
Will the Minister make a statement on plans for local government reorganisation? The urgency arises from the significant costs councils are incurring for organising elections that may be postponed. There is concern about wasted expenses for council tax payers if elections proceed only to be delayed later.
Question
What assessment has been made of the Boundary Commission’s capacity to undertake necessary reviews? Can he give an indication when local authorities will know whether elections are delayed?
Minister reply
Local areas must self-organise and submit proposals. The Government sets the timetable but does not mandate reorganisation; it is for local areas to agree to be part of the programme. We do not lay down plans, but we support local areas in making decisions on pace.
Question
Can the Minister assure residents that they will still have power and scrutiny over vital services during reorganisation?
Minister reply
Reorganisation aims to provide efficiency savings, allowing more funds to be directed towards frontline services. We are working to rebalance local government finance with £5 billion of new money, but we acknowledge the long-term damage from previous funding cuts.
Question
What steps are taken to ensure meaningful engagement at every level of councils during reorganisation?
Minister reply
Councils will have a voice in the process, but it is for them to submit proposals. We aim to engage meaningfully with all levels of councils and residents, ensuring they have input into decisions.
Question
Can the Minister rule out creating big super-councils that represent more than a million people? Will he meet to discuss devolution and local government reorganisation in Hertfordshire?
Minister reply
The Government set half a million people as the appropriate size for new councils, but flexibility is needed if reorganisation goes hand-in-hand with devolution. The Minister emphasised that efficiency should be balanced with strategic oversight and local identity.
Question
Does the Minister agree that changes introduced in the English devolution Bill will make local government more effective and save money for taxpayers?
Minister reply
The Minister agreed, stating this is about making local government more effective by putting power in communities' hands rather than rearranging deckchairs. He emphasised the ambition of wresting power from Westminster to empower communities.
Question
What will the Minister do in this local government reorganisation to protect legacy and prevent debt-free councils being amalgamated with more profligate neighbours?
Minister reply
The Minister stated that setting one council against another is not his intention. He emphasised that areas need to look at identity, scale, efficiency, and delivering good public services when considering unitary boundaries.
Question
Can the Minister reassure cities like Norwich will have a strong voice in this process and their voices heard on key economic drivers?
Minister reply
The Minister acknowledged the importance of having a strong voice for cities like Norwich, which are important economic anchors. He praised MPs in Suffolk and Norfolk for making a case for greater devolution.
Question
Will the Minister update on Department capacity to manage these reorganisations? How many can his Department manage at any one time?
Minister reply
The Minister confirmed that the Department stands ready to support local areas, both on devolution and local government reorganisation. He stated they will make sure there is a genuine partnership when it comes to ensuring capacity.
Question
Does the Minister agree that reorganisation is the right step, and this is the right time, given Thurrock's historical bankruptcy?
Minister reply
The Minister agreed that efficiencies can be gained through reorganisation but also acknowledged that systemic problems are not addressed by reorganisation alone. He emphasised redirecting money to neighbourhood services.
Question
Will the Minister tell us precisely when the election date will be decided for Gloucestershire?
Minister reply
The Minister acknowledged that clarity is important and stated they aim to give clarity by the end of the month.
Question
Will the Minister give some reassurance—any at all—that my constituents in Staffordshire will have the choice and can say no if they do not want to be part of greater Stoke-on-Trent?
Minister reply
The Government’s role from the point of receiving proposals becomes quasi-judicial, ensuring we remain neutral and consider all proposals equally. Each area that undergoes devolution has had consultation take place, and public support for mayoral models is more likely if there is an existing mayor in place to demonstrate benefits.
Question
Will the Minister assure me that any discussions over reorganisation will include local boroughs and districts, and that any agreement reached will make sure that we reflect both those priorities?
Minister reply
The request can come in for reorganisation, but from the point at which the Government starts the statutory invitation process, our role becomes quasi-judicial. We need to ensure we steer clear of defining what outcome we want because we are neutral in this process and must consider proposals equally.
Question
Will the Minister confirm how the Government will handle debt in Woking, Surrey and elsewhere as part of the reorganisation? Also, will he agree to write off Woking’s unsustainable debts to ensure that reorganisation happens sensibly?
Minister reply
Agreeing to write off £2 billion of debt at the Dispatch Box would be quite career-limiting. However, the scale of the financial challenge in some areas is understood and we are working to find a solution.
Question
Does the Minister agree that consideration needs to be given to regional collaboration on social care or, indeed, removing social care from local government altogether to ease the burden on council taxpayers?
Minister reply
Dame Louise Casey is conducting a broader review of adult social care for reasons well understood. Where local government excels is in being local and rooted in the community, delivering public services at a place level which makes a difference.
Question
Will the Minister provide reassurance that the local plan for 27,000 new houses across Basildon and Billericay will not suddenly be rushed through by a local council that will not exist in future?
Minister reply
Given our housing crisis, 27,000 new homes seems like good news. Councils need to operate in a business as usual way to ensure they get their business done without pressing pause on important items of business.
Question
Will the Minister provide assurances that creating more strategic authorities will not slow down the delivery of capital projects necessary to achieve economic growth?
Minister reply
No, it is certainly right. Our ambition is for acceleration, not lagging behind, and we will make sure that no schemes are delayed as a result of reorganisation.
Question
Can the Minister outline to the House what decisions and conversations are taking place across Government to address the role of adult social care in the local government sector?
Minister reply
We have gone a long way to doing that, although we do accept there is more to go. The £3.7 billion of new money for adult social care in the settlement is a commitment laid out in pounds and pence.
Question
Does the Minister agree that this English devolution Bill will not just simplify local government but be more cost-effective and bring more value back to the taxpayer?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend makes a very good case for reorganisation, and I agree with him.
Question
Would the Minister consider cancelling the ward boundary review in north-east Lincolnshire as it seems a complete waste of resources? Does he agree that elections go ahead to give the county a new mandate for what lies ahead?
Minister reply
From our perspective, we cannot allow the cancellation—or postponement—of elections to be driven by political views. We are clear that this is an administrative process and it is about whether areas satisfy criteria that meet our devolution priority programme.
Question
Why should constituents continue to pay council tax beyond May when they will not be represented by elected people, and what is the name for unelected councillors after May?
Minister reply
The members who discharge functions have been elected. We need to be careful about language; councillors are good public servants going into local government for right reasons. The period of office should extend to allow election to a new shadow unitary authority.
Question
Does the Minister agree that devolution and reorganisation offers cities such as Exeter, Lincoln and elsewhere—the key economic drivers of this country—the opportunity to grow and invest sustainably in partnership with strategic authorities? Can he shed more light on the process when a county council and a district council potentially disagree?
Minister reply
We will consider proposals from all sources equally. From a Government point of view, it is important that we make sure it is the right deal for local people, taxpayers, and delivers good public services.
Question
How will the Minister avoid a fire sale of district and borough council assets once they are merged with county councils crippled by soaring adult social care costs? Does 2028 being too late?
Minister reply
We cannot shortcut legal processes that require adequate consultation, proposal development, workforce and asset transfer. Community asset protection and the community right to buy are central to our agenda going forward.
Question
How will we ensure local identities are protected? Will he meet me to discuss the impact of these proposals on the ancient and loyal borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme?
Minister reply
Any reorganisation has to respect historic locally felt identity. Local communities often have nuanced or localised identities, which must be respected.
Question
Given the previous deal scrapped without consultation, how will publics be consulted on changes going forward? Is a minimum population of half a million appropriate in rural areas?
Minister reply
In the White Paper, the minimum population is 500,000 for efficiency but there needs to be some flexibility due to devolution and reorganisation. We are committed to that.
Question
Could the Minister give more detail on Kent’s timetable going forward? Conservative councillors will be in power for seven years if processes are stretched out; people of Kent are appalled by this.
Minister reply
We look at proposals legally and quasi-judicially. It is not our job to get involved in local politics but rather to look at the benefits of proposals.
Question
Why do we not take opportunity for a county-wide referendum in Essex if Government press ahead? Public council tax payers can vote for massive change or to remain as they are.
Minister reply
Local people would prefer maintenance and growth of local neighbourhood services rather than overhead costs. It is for consultation and proposals to draw out best outcomes.
Question
How will the Government adjudicate between conflicting proposals from districts and county for simplifying local government?
Minister reply
We see what comes forward. In some areas, there may be consensus on number of unitary authorities but varying views on boundary lines. We balance identity, efficiency, and relationship to devolution going forward.
Question
Will the Government agree to hold a local referendum in Leicestershire before imposing proposals from London that local people do not want?
Minister reply
Campaigning for elections to bodies that wish will not exist is familiar. Local leaders showing leadership, believing in place and wanting best outcome; we assess proposals fairly.
Question
Residents of Isle of Wight are expecting full elections in May. The no-overall-control unitary authority has asked the Government to be part of a priority devolution deal with Hampshire, but not local authority reorganisation. Does the Minister agree that there is no good reason to delay elections when the council’s future and viability is not under discussion?
Minister reply
The Minister agreed it was a fair point and said he would take it away for consideration.
Question
Somerset, Dorset and Wiltshire are working collaboratively on the Heart of Wessex devolution deal. Can the Minister confirm that the decision to include the Wessex proposal will not be held back depending on the BCP decision?
Minister reply
The Minister stated that they have to stick to the principles of the White Paper and criteria which prevent agreeing to devolution proposals creating orphans that cannot be resolved.
Question
Can the Minister reassure Cheltenham will retain its voice as part of any devolution and local government reorganisation, otherwise power might simply be taken away from the community?
Minister reply
The Minister reassured that the White Paper is clear on wanting to see devolution rolled out at an ambitious pace while maintaining local empowerment and powers for the local community.
Question
Will councils undergoing new rounds of local government reorganisation receive transitional arrangements, or will they fall into the same trap as Harrogate and North Yorkshire with speculative planning applications and issues with getting housing where needed?
Minister reply
The Minister responded by stating that if constituents want to stop speculative development in Harrogate, having a plan in place is the best way for developers to be held accountable.
Question
How will local accountability continue when regional identity may be different? May I also ask about the future of towns, parishes, and national park authorities?
Minister reply
The Minister emphasised that local councillors should be frontline councillors leading in their communities regardless of the council size or type.
Question
Can the Minister confirm that holding elections in May does not prevent devolution for Norfolk, and would he agree that voters should be allowed to have their say on who is taking forward devolution negotiations?
Minister reply
The Minister stated they need to separate out the devolution priority programme and local government reorganisation programmes but noted the two are linked.
Question
Given that councillors up for re-election were elected in May 2021, does the Minister think they still have a mandate to make decisions for their local communities?
Minister reply
The Minister said if elections are postponed based on a credible plan moving devolution and reorganisation along, those councillors would be legitimate with the same rights as other councillors.
Question
Residents in Surrey Heath face the prospect of cancelled elections, forced unitarisation, and amalgamation into a new western Surrey unitary authority inheriting £5 billion of debt. What would the Minister say to these residents?
Minister reply
The Minister responded that they have covered concerns about debt but suggested it is time to come together and put party interests aside.
Government Response
The English devolution White Paper sets out how this Government plan to deliver on our manifesto pledge to transfer power out of Westminster through devolution, alongside reorganisation. On December 16th, we wrote to councils about joint devolution and local government reorganisation plans. We consider requests for election postponements carefully and published a list of those who have requested delays. The Government aims to ensure more strategic decisions are made locally and to fix the foundations of local government. We welcome the ambition shown by local leaders in submitting these requests, and we will make final decisions as soon as possible.