Future Northants Consultation on Local Government Reform

Transcription

1 Future Northants Consultation on Local Government Reform Parish and Town Councils Forum Dale Hall and Trevor Baker WELLINGBOROUGH July 12 th 2018

2 Opinion Research Services Rigorous social research university spin-out Health, housing, local government, ombudsmen, public agencies, emergency services Complex and controversial statutory consultations Major local government reorganisations : Dorset / Buckinghamshire / Oxfordshire Earlier programmes: / 1999 / Health services Greater Manchester / Wales / Dorset / Lincolnshire Other local government Libraries / Leisure services / Social services / Tourism

3 Consultation Programme Open questionnaires Not representative, but essential Deliberative focus groups with public Stakeholder events Town/parish councils, businesses, voluntary sector etc Survey Proper samples and fieldwork - representative Councils evaluation and decision Submissions, petitions

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5 Initial Questions Except for parishes/town councils How many separate councils are there in Northants? Which organisation collects your council tax? Which organisation spends most of your council tax? What % does it spend?

6 Currently 8 Councils / local authorities Each Council has its own political leader + chief executive/managing director 321 councillor positions in total Council tax levels set separately by each council

7 Currently 8 councils / local authorities NORTHAMPTONSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL Services for residents across whole county E.g. education, social care for children + adults, highways, some environmental services 7 DISTRICT/BOROUGH COUNCILS Local services for residents in their areas E.g. housing, planning, waste collection, revenues and benefits, leisure services

8 Council Tax division of each paid Police 13p Parishes/Town Councils 3p Districts 10p County Council 73p

9 Urgent change needed? Northamptonshire County Council issues Government Inspection report (January-March 2018) NCC poor financial performance and governance Big budget overspends big on-going budget deficits the problems are so deep it s not possible to promote a recovery plan that could bring the council back to stability and safety in a reasonable timescale A way forward with a clean sheet, leaving all the history behind, is required

10 Urgent change needed? Government appointed external Commissioners (unusual step) Taken over NCC s strategic financial planning, governance and scrutiny functions Unless finances urgently improve some important services will change drastically, or even cease

11 Possible Change to Unitary Authorities? Government has written to all 8 councils Co-operate on proposal (by end 8/2018) to restructure local government Any proposals should: Improve local government, service delivery, value for money Make savings, provide strategic/local leadership, be sustainable Be based on existing council areas and have populations of more than 300k Command a good deal of local support

12 Options Considered Option No Change Single Unitary Authority for whole of Northants Considerations Extent of NCC s financial problems (+ causes) Govt. has directed major change Maintaining existing 2-tier system would not solve current problems Single unitary not a recognisably new start. Option ruled out by Govt. 3 unitary authorities Northants total pop n of c.740k + at least one authority would have pop n level of less than 300k 2 unitary authorities (1 for Northampton + another for areas around it) 2 unitary authorities based on groupings of existing west + north districts or boroughs Mergers with some neighbouring councils (outside Northants) Would not meet Govt s pop n test as the pop n of Northampton Borough is only 228,700 Would deliver two credible geographic units, both with populations in excess of 300,000 Current legislation unitary authorities cannot span more than one police authority In Northants, County has Police Authority co-terminus with its boundaries would need change to primary legislation to change this (not possible within timescales)

13 Proposal Not a divorce Not a take-over

14 Not New System Bristol, Leicester, Nottingham, Cenral Bedforshire, Milton Keynes, Derby Cheshire East, etc (55) Wales has 22 unitary councils Proposals for Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire under consideration Dorset just approved for 9 councils 2 unitaries (JR hearing)

15 Advantages? Simplification? Current two-tier system can be confusing e.g... Boroughs/districts collect council tax, but county council spends most of money County council disposes of waste, but boroughs/districts collect it Division of responsibility for highways, roads, footpaths + street lighting often unclear Cross-county businesses may have to make licensing applications to 7 different councils

16 Advantages? Clearer Accountability? Simpler unitary structure greater democratic accountability Clearer which authority is responsible for decisions + service standards

17 Advantages? Efficiencies + Savings? Makes efficiency savings more achievable eg estimated that 2 unitary councils could achieve savings of 12m per year (rationalisation, economies, efficiency) Cashable savings improve year on year position of Northants councils BUT One-off transitional cost est. at 22m THOUGH Benefits will exceed costs within 3 year period

18 Advantages? Service Transformation? Opportunity to transform service planning, support and delivery via New ways of working Harnessing potential of digital technology Managing demand for council services more effectively Hope for recurring savings above those achieved by reorganisation Fresh start enable re-negotiation of contracts (possible further savings)

19 Advantages? Wider Public Sector Reform? Could contribute to more general improvements in public sector in Northants Enable local agencies to work more closely together Achieve further savings to help address projected financial deficit

20 Advantages? Strategic Planning + a Stronger Voice? 2 unitary authorities could ensure Better integration of social care services and NHS (essential for ageing population) Better strategic planning for education, housing, infrastructure + economic development Stronger voice to lobby for the health services, roads + other infrastructure needed to meet need of growing/ageing population

21 Implications: Council Tax If 2 unitary authorities each responsible for setting its own council tax Council tax equalisation (ensuring all residents of one council area pay the same required by law) Currently, 7 boroughs/districts have different council tax rates Council tax charges within each unitary area progressively equalised over a period (to be decided)

22 Implications: Council Tax Current ( ) district/borough charges + total council tax paid (does not include charge for police or parish/town councils) NORTH NORTHANTS UNITARY Incorporating: Borough/District Council Tax Total Council Tax Corby 190 1,426 East Northamptonshire 139 1,375 Kettering 205 1,442 Wellingborough 146 1,382 WEST NORTHANTS UNITARY Incorporating: Borough/District Council Tax Total Council Tax Daventry 156 1,392 Northampton 219 1,456 South Northamptonshire 186 1,422

23 Implications: Access Important priority for all Northants residents to be able to access their councils BUT With only 2 councils likely that fewer buildings needed to meet local needs Still opportunities for phone or face-to-face contact Councils would continue to encourage residents to use online services

24 Implications: Councillors Currently 321 councillor positions across whole of Northants 2 new unitary councils would require significantly fewer If created, new councils would make proposals to Boundary Commission re appropriate number of councillors

25 Implications: Staff If 2-unitary structure accepted, savings made by reducing number of senior staff e.g. 2 senior management teams instead of 8 Other workforce changes may be needed over time increasing demands of growing + ageing population but balanced by increasing digitisation + transformation of services

26 Implications: Town and Parish Councils Status of existing town and parish councils unchanged by proposals Creation of 2 unitary councils could enhance importance Interface between local areas + new councils

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28 The Big Question Do you agree/disagree with replacing 8 councils with 2 new unitary councils? Why do you agree/disagree? Any other options/alternatives?

29 Discussion Time

30 Next Steps No decisions yet made Formal consultation ends July 22 nd Councils study outcomes continue with proposal/ better options? Decision reported to govt. by the end of August for final decision Depending on decision, legislation prepared in December 2018 to authorise change Interim plans for with view to new councils from April 2020

31 THANK YOU Thank you for your time and have a safe journey home