Home   News   Article

Subscribe Now

Newark and Sherwood's district councillors have their say on super council idea proposed by Nottinghamshire County Council leader Kay Cutt




District councillors have made their views on a super council clear after the idea was proposed by Nottinghamshire County Council leader Kay Cutts.

Under the proposal, Nottinghamshire’s seven districts and borough councils ­would be scrapped, along with the county council, and replaced with one single council for the whole of the county, excluding the city.

Nottinghamshire County Council. (36450709)
Nottinghamshire County Council. (36450709)

The controversial scheme was shelved in 2018 after fierce opposition, but Mrs Cutts has revived the idea in the wake of coronavirus, which has placed a huge strain on council finances.

At a meeting last month, Kay Cutts said with the UK heading towards a significant recession it was time to look at how services could run more efficiently in the future ­— estimating a super council would save Nottinghamshire’s taxpayers £27m to £30m a year.

However, opponents believe the proposal would leave residents alienated in more rural areas, have the potential to erode local decision making, and was insensitive in the midst of the coronavirus crisis.

Gill Dawn, leader of the Independent Group and councillor for Newark's Bridge Ward.
Gill Dawn, leader of the Independent Group and councillor for Newark's Bridge Ward.

Gill Dawn, an independent councillor on Newark and Sherwood district and Newark town councils, said she hated the idea and only believed in local.

“Most district councillors are very well known to their constituents,” said Mrs Dawn. “If someone has a query then they can immediately put their finger on what’s going on.

“I can’t imagine that anyone ringing Nottingham about fly-tipping on Meering Avenue, for instance, would receive a satisfactory response. They’d be like ‘where’s Meering Avenue?’

“The key to local government is just that ­— local.

“I’m dead-set against the idea of a super council.”

Peter Harris, a Liberal Democrat councillor for Southwell. (37061124)
Peter Harris, a Liberal Democrat councillor for Southwell. (37061124)

Peter Harris, a Liberal Democrat for Southwell and former Wiltshire councillor, used to be in favour of the idea of a super council, but that changed when he saw the response by Wiltshire’s unitary authority to the Salisbury poisonings.

“The response was run by the county hall,” said Mr Harris. “There was no recognition of the involvement of the city or town council and they did not engage with local people, which a town council is significantly better at.

“If Nottinghamshire Coun-ty Council engaged with local people and did a good job of responding to local issues then I could support them. But they have shown no evidence of that in the last four years.

“I think Nottinghamshire would fall on the poor rather than good side.”

Paul Peacock (37068915)
Paul Peacock (37068915)

Newark and Sherwood District Council Labour Group leader Paul Peacock said he was astonished at the proposal, highlighting the detriment to which local areas would be affected.

“If the unfolding tragedy of the covid-19 pandemic has taught us anything it is that the vital services that have kept us safe and well are better delivered locally,” he said. “Creating a super council makes absolutely no sense at all.

“Kay Cutts should really be focusing on leading the county through this terrible pandemic, instead she has turned her attention again to her dream of creating a super council ­— I’m astonished.

“She has already wasted hundreds of thousands of pounds on a botched consultation a few years ago. Those plans were humiliatingly dropped. It’s not a popular idea with the public or any of the district and borough councils.”

An independent county councillor, Maureen Dobson, who also sits on Newark and Sherwood District Council, said she was in favour of change at the appropriate time, but not of one large unitary authority.

“Mrs Cutts scintillatingly dropped this into committee in the middle of a pandemic,” said Mrs Dobson.

“It’s farcical. This isn’t the time.

“I don’t have a problem with reorganisation as we have got to look at different ways of raising the pennies to provide services to the residents. We are going to be desperately short as we have spent a lot of money.

“Ok, the government has supplied local authorities with some, but it’s not going to be enough.

“It would all right for the areas surrounding County Hall but what about the rural areas? You can’t be saying that you’ll open lots of offices because that just costs money.

“Huge swathes of rural areas get their bins emptied by the district council and their street light bulbs changed when they go, and that’s about it and that’s not being disrespectful to the hard work of officers at County Hall or Castle House.”

Maureen Dobson, an independent councillor for Collingham.
Maureen Dobson, an independent councillor for Collingham.

Mrs Dobson said the focus should be on battling coronavirus, saving lives and keeping people healthy before unitary authorities became an issue again.

“This has been slipped in when it wasn’t any good 18 months ago,” she said: “What’s changed?

“As I’ve said, I think change is necessary but what this needs is the districts and boroughs to come around the table at the appropriate time with ideas of their own that can be thrashed out sensibly and then taken out to the public.”

Newark Town Pump..) Alan Mellor, David Lloyd, Michael Knapton, Ian Harrison.. (9098425)
Newark Town Pump..) Alan Mellor, David Lloyd, Michael Knapton, Ian Harrison.. (9098425)

District council leader, Conservative David Lloyd, said: “Our views on changes to the structure of local government have not varied, even on this third occasion.

“We will continue to constructively assess any new proposals coming forward and understand that there could be efficiencies from more joint-working.

“However, at this time, our focus is properly on the covid-19 response — both public protection and the many needs to rebuild economies and support people back into work.

“We cannot be distracted from those tasks, not at least as the pandemic has proven the need for services at the most local level that are responsive to the needs of our communities.”

The possibility of a super council is to be examined by a new committee, looking at the county council’s coronavirus response and whether a single authority could help making savings.



This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies - Learn More