Derbyshire County Council leader feels super council plans pose 'massive distraction' for May elections

The Government’s Local Government Reorganisation White Paper proposals include potentially setting up single, unitary authorities with elected mayors in county areas by merging or scrapping councils in two-tier authority areas like Derbyshire that operate county, and then district and borough councils.

But after Derbyshire County Council’s disappointment at missing out on the first wave of regions to be chosen to potentially be turned into unitary, super councils with the privilege of a postponed election, the authority is still having to prepare for the potential transition in the near future while focusing on its day job with an election now firmly scheduled in less than three months.

Cllr Lewis, who largely supports LGR changes to improve efficiency and growth, has however been critical about the timing of the plans with county elections on the horizon on May 1.

He said: “When the White Paper came out there was an opening for the transfer of local authorities to come forward and express an interest and those in the devolution priority programme would get a stay of execution on elections.

“We are facing elections. We already knew as well that if we did nothing we would still have to put in an initial proposal in March and have conversations with borough and district councils – and there is the background of an election in May.

“Can you imagine anything more disruptive to an election of county councils – to have to work through detailed [LGR] proposals and discussion with boroughs and districts and county partners?”

Subject to Conservative-led Derbyshire County Council approving a report at a Full Council meeting, the council says it will work with other district and borough councils to formally submit its interim plans to the Labour Government in March with a view to submitting a full proposal in November.

Cllr Lewis explained that everyone has to come together to put in a set of proposals by the end of the year which means one county council administration could be compiling the proposals up to May 1 and then after the election a new administration may have to deal with the matter.

He added that with a postponed election councils would be more able to deal with the huge amount of necessary changes to transition smoothly into a new structure but he said ‘at the minute it is a complete bag of spanners’.

But even with concerns for the potential impact on public services, staff jobs, and council members, Cllr Lewis is confident everyone at the authority will get on with their jobs and they will be supported in doing so in the months ahead.

He said: “We are just doing our jobs. Until we know any differently, until we know when it’s nailed on what any new structure will be, they are all professionals and will continue. It’s business as normal and we will keep delivering.

“This will come with a great degree of upheaval when we get to that point when we have to deal with a new authority and we know it’s unsettling for a lot of our staff and until we have a full understanding we will support staff.

“And I am sure the staff will continue to support the organisation they work for, and Local Government does help and support employees.

“For councillors, we all know what we signed-up for. It’s four years of certainty and four years of uncertainty.”

Despite Derbyshire County Council’s request to be included in the first wave of councils for reorganisation being knocked back, Cllr Lewis remains excited about the possibilities of reorganisation for the county which he claims could save residents in excess of over £100m over the first five years.

The council leader said the council’s ambitions remain ‘undimmed’ and that the authority will continue to push for a new whole county authority excluding the city while delivering the best value for residents.

Cllr Lewis, has stated the county council is ready to work with Derby City Council and the county’s district and borough councils to shape proposals as long as Government plans align with what is best for Derbyshire and create savings.

Together with county council Deputy Leader, Cllr Simon Spencer, and Derbyshire Conservatives, Cllr Lewis has insisted upon the council’s wish to protect Derbyshire’s geographical boundaries and its preferred option would include retaining the city boundaries with one unitary council to cover the county which would leave Derby City Council unaffected.

Cllr Lewis said he has been concerned about MPs in places like the High Peak talking about throwing this part of Derbyshire into Tameside and he is equally concerned about discussions about areas around Chesterfield and North East Derbyshire going to South Yorkshire while insisting that LGR’s intention is to not to disadvantage any area.

Even though Derbyshire was not selected as a priority county for reorganisation, Cllr Lewis said the county council was able to put down a marker about boundaries and express its preferred position under pending plans.

After the region saw the emergence of the new mayoral East Midlands Combined County Authority only last year, Cllr Lewis said that he wants to ensure that none of Derbyshire falls into Tameside or South Yorkshire and that areas stay within the EMCCA authority.

He added that LGR will provide an opportunity to strengthen and streamline democracy and service delivery across the county, avoid duplications and to become more efficient by rationalizing many Local Government property assets while creating greater opportunity for growth and prosperity.

Cllr Lewis said: “We need to make sure we are being much more effective to get the big bucks in our region and get the big schemes delivered and fulfil the promises to our residents and that will be done with LGR.”

He added: “I still think it is difficult to deliver this agenda with the backdrop of the elections and it will be a massive distraction.”

Cllr Lewis added that LGR is also becoming an election campaign issue while he feels councillors should be concentrating on other matters like social care and education.

Despite the county council missing out on the first LGR wave, it has already submitted to the Government its intentions to be part of the reorganisation aimed at improving efficiency, reducing duplication and driving down costs.

The Government has argued that LGR plans will include elected mayors with more powers on planning and transport, and that the changes will create savings, create greater efficiency, improve public services, and support economic growth.

But critics are concerned about the loss of district and borough councils, a risk of greater Government control, the removal of local decision-making, tax increases, powers being taken away from communities and some also doubt the plans will create savings.

The county’s district and borough councils have expressed concerns and a wish for more time to consider all the implications particularly regarding any impact on public services, jobs, and council members.

But Cllr Lewis has said he firmly believes further reorganisation would open up new opportunities by strengthening the East Midlands Combined County Authority devolution deal, by widening public sector reform and streamlining how services are delivered with greater opportunity for growth and prosperity.

The Government’s LGR plan is the biggest reform of Local Government in over 50 years, according to Cllr Lewis, and he believes the county council must seize the opportunity on behalf of its residents to improve efficiency and drive down costs.

When asked what role he envisages for himself under any LGR transition, Cllr Lewis said: “In common with all county councillors, I will be reapplying for my job in May and I cannot say what will happen then or afterwards.

“Assuming I am successfully re-elected, I do not know. We will have to see what my group says.”

LGR plans include hopes for new mayoral elections to be in place as soon as 2026 and the Government says the first newly-changed councils could be running by 2028.