Options for future political organisation of Norfolk revealed for the first time
Options for the future political organisation of Norfolk have been revealed for the first time in a new report.
Research commissioned by the seven district and city councils has identified three possible layouts for the county, including a single unitary authority.
Norfolk’s councils all face abolition, with new authorities created to replace them, as part of the Labour Government’s devolution and reorganisation plans.
But until now, how this new arrangement might look has remained shrouded in mystery.
The shake-up will see the current system of two tiers of councils – where the county, district, borough and city councils provide different services – scrapped in favour of at least one unitary authority, which would provide all services.
Norfolk’s eight councils – Norfolk County, Norwich City, Great Yarmouth, Breckland, Broadland, South Norfolk, North Norfolk and West Norfolk – would be abolished and new authorities formed.
Councils are expected to work together to come up with proposals for how local government reorganisation will look.
The Government has been clear that if consensus is not found, it could impose models.
The district councils and City Hall commissioned this new report to explore the potential options and prepare a submission.
This research has revealed three shortlisted options, including:
• Single county unitary.
• Two unitary option.
Unitary one:Lynn and West Norfolk, Breckland, and the North Norfolk County divisions of Fakenham and the Raynhams, Holt and Wells.
Unitary two: Broadland, Great Yarmouth, Norwich, South Norfolk, and the remainder of North Norfolk.
• Three unitary option.
Unitary one: Greater Norwich on Urban Boundaries.
Unitary two: Breckland, Lynn and West Norfolk, and the North Norfolk County divisions of Fakenham and the Raynhams, Holt and Wells.
Unitary three: Great Yarmouth, the remainder of Broadland and South Norfolk, and the remainder of North Norfolk.
Options such as the ‘doughnut’ – carving out Norwich as a single unitary with the rest of the council forming a separate unitary – and cross-county boundary changes were ruled out in the report.
The report also reveals the cost of local government reorganisation could be more than £20million.
OPTIONS ANALYSIS
The three options were considered against six criteria – stronger community engagement, supporting devolution arrangements, councils working together and local place identity, public service delivery, right size to achieve efficiencies and withstand financial shocks, and establishment of a single tier of local government.
The three unitary option ranked best overall and has been considered the preferable option for the county due to its “singular focus” on Norwich as an economic driving force.
The smaller authorities are also considered to offer better local engagement and a single urban focus for each new unitary, recognising the importance of Lynn and Great Yarmouth.
However, this option was also ranked lowest for being the right size to achieve efficiencies and withstand financial shocks, and is likely to achieve the lowest savings.
Meanwhile, the one unitary option was ranked lowest overall and considered to create too big of a footprint – but was ultimately most likely to achieve the best net financial benefits.
Norfolk County Council has said that having one unitary council would save a recurring £29million per year and a total of £120 million over five years, repaying devolution’s start-up costs within a year.
Having two would save a recurring £9.6million per year after five years and a total of £16.8million over five years, as it would take more than three years to repay start-up costs.
Having more than two would cost more money than the current arrangement.
County council leader Cllr Kay Mason Billig said: “People in Norfolk deserve to have the most cost effective and efficient form of local government, with strong links to our communities. I believe we can achieve that, by working together.
“Initial calculations show we can save millions of pounds that can be reinvested in better services, if we do this right.
“That’s why we are determined to be guided by the data, to develop the best possible proposal by September. Our interim submission sets out our thinking so far. There are a number of issues to explore and it’s too early to draw lines on any maps.”
COUNCIL BUNFIGHTS LIE AHEAD
There seems little consensus in the corridors of power at the moment.
The report stressed its findings should be considered “transitional and interim” at this stage, with further discussions between the councils and public engagement to be carried out before any decisions are made.
Conservative-run Suffolk County Council has already announced it wants the Government to give the go-ahead for a single council covering all of that county.
Norwich City Council has signalled it wants to become a unitary authority, potentially with expanded boundaries, which has not been well-received in South Norfolk or with County Hall leaders.
However, the report states the six district councils and City Hall have “not given up hope” of reaching an agreement with County Hall.
