The current plan will see three areas of Nottinghamshire effectively split into two
Beeston is one of the areas set to join a new Nottingham authority (Image: Joseph Raynor/Nottingham Post)
A rethink is being urged on plans for a Nottingham expansion that will see surrounding areas split into two as it emerged as the least popular option in a huge shake-up of boundaries.
A government consultation on a redrawing of Nottinghamshire’s map saw most people oppose Nottingham City Council’s plan, yet that is the option that the government has ended up going with, even though the other two options would have avoided areas being split up.
The government’s local government reorganisation (LGR) programme aims to simplify the current system and save money by abolishing smaller councils and replacing them with new ones covering bigger areas.
It will mean all of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire’s nine councils being abolished in favour of just two new ones to cover the entire city and county.
Debate has been taking place on where the boundaries of these new authorities should fall and the government confirmed earlier in July that it will go with the city council’s option – involving a Nottingham expansion into around half of Gedling, half of Broxtowe and half of Rushcliffe.
Yet the recently published results of a government consultation on the issue show that of the 2,631 people who responded, only 27% expressed a positive view of the city council’s plan.
Around 64% of people had a negative view of the plan, and the most popular option was actually a Nottingham expansion that would have incorporated the entirety of Broxtowe and Gedling.
A legal review of the LGR decision remains possible as some leaders argue that the government has gone against its own criteria, which originally included existing districts and boroughs not being split up and new councils having a minimum population of 500,000.
Councillor Greg Marshall, Broxtowe Borough Council’s deputy leader, said: “Not only does the chosen option not meet any of the criteria set out by the government at the start of this process, but it is clear from their own consultation that it is the one that most people don’t want.
“In getting here, everything seems to have been ignored – the criteria for reorganisation has been ignored, the consultation results have been ignored and residents have been ignored. “All independent academic research over the last 50 years shows that making councils bigger is absolutely no guarantee they will be better, cheaper, more cost-effective or efficient – indeed there is strong evidence that in some cases, it makes things worse. “Mr Burnham needs to stop LGR in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire now before bad decisions are set in stone.”
In terms of some of the views expressed, the government’s report on its consultation says supporters of the city council plan felt it “would be beneficial for economic growth and that it would help to unlock investment.”
Yet those opposing the plan felt that “concentrating urban assets under one council could weaken the more rural authority over time.”
The former housing and local government secretary, Steve Reed, previously poured cold water on a judicial review in the House of Commons by saying: “I can’t comment on judicial reviews, but I can reassure the house that this programme will go ahead and it will go ahead on schedule.”
Nottingham City Council’s Labour leader, Councillor Neghat Khan, previously said: “We are delighted that government has chosen to take forward our proposal for Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.
“Our proposal recognises that Greater Nottingham functions as a single economic area, with hundreds of thousands of people travelling across administrative boundaries every day for work, education, healthcare, shopping and leisure.
“At the same time, it recognises that rural communities have their own distinct opportunities and challenges and deserve a council focused on their needs.