Agenda item

The Leader is to provide a report on the Devolution White Paper.

The Leader, Councillor Allnatt, introduced the Devolution White Paper report and moved the recommendation. Councillor Glancy seconded the motion.

 

In introducing the report, the Leader outlined events so far and explained to Members that the District and Borough Council Leaders’ and Rutland Council Leader’s preference is for three unitary authorities covering Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. One authority for the north of Leicestershire including Rutland, one for the south of Leicestershire and the third covering the city of Leicester.

 

The Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Browne, stated that this is the beginning of a process and that his view was that change is required, as Councils have struggled over the last 20 years. He added that Members needed a say before a decision is taken. He proposed the following amendment. Councillor J. Orson seconded the proposed amendment.

 

1)    That Council requests the Leader to work together with all partners to secure the best structure of Local Government for the residents of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, and report on progress at each Council meeting until submission is made of final proposals in November.

 

2)    That as part of that regular update, the Leader provides Members of Melton Borough Council with details of costings, and commissioning of works with outside agencies to support the development of the Council’s preferred option for Local Government Reorganisation.

 

3)    That the Council requests the Leader to engage with all partners including Leicestershire County Council, County NHS Bodies, Police, Fire Service, Integrated Care Board and other key statutory stakeholders as part of developing the Council’s preferred option. 

 

4)    That before any final proposal is submitted to Government in November 2025, setting out Melton Borough Council’s preferred option, that a report will be submitted to Full Council detailing the full benefits and weaknesses considered in relation to this, and compared against those options which have been rejected, and that Council will have an opportunity to consider, debate and give its view on this.

 

The meeting adjourned to allow legal advice to be provided. When the meeting reconvened, the proposer and seconder of the original motion accepted the amendment into the motion.

 

Councillor Lumley proposed the following amended. Councillor Higgins seconded the motion.

 

Thanks the Leader for all his work on devolution and local government reform and thanks him for circulating information when it becomes available. Acknowledges that there are bound to be differences of opinion but Council has complete trust in the Leader to represent the best interests of Melton Borough in a fair and balanced way. Welcomes the broader engagement envisaged with the public and stakeholders over the coming months.

 

In seconding the motion, Councillor Higgins stated that a unitary form of local government is probably the right way to go but that the local must be kept in local government.

 

The proposer and seconder of the original motion accepted the amendment into the motion.

 

During the debate the following points were raised:

• There was concern expressed over the potential changes to standards regime.
• A comment was made that it was likely that the ultimate solution could be imposed by central government and not determined locally.
• It was noted that with change on the way, there will be opportunities as well.
• It was recognised that there is a need to keep the local in local government and that the area can’t lose its local and rural identity.
• Whilst there were concerns over adult social care, it was noted that there is a review of this nationally. In addition, Rutland County Council is currently an upper tier authority and so would have the expertise to transfer over to a new unitary authority.
• A comment was made that this won’t be implemented immediately, although it will be imposed if an agreement can’t be reached.

 

RESOLVED

 

That Council

 

(1)                Noted the current position and the Council’s initial response to the Devolution White Paper.

 

(2)                Noted the criteria and process set out by government for submitting and evaluating proposals for local government reorganisation, and the legal framework within which it operates.

 

(3)                Provided views on devolution and local government reorganisation such that they can be incorporated into the development of initial ideas and interim plans.

 

(4)                Requested the Leader to work together with all partners to secure the best structure of local government for the residents of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, and report on progress at each Council meeting until submission is made of final proposals in November.

 

(5)                Requested that the Leader provides Members of Melton Borough Council with details of costings, and commissioning of works with outside agencies to support the development of the Council’s preferred option for Local Government Reorganisation.

 

(6)                Requested that the Leader engages with all partners including Leicestershire County Council, County NHS Bodies, Police, Fire Service, Integrated Care Board and other key statutory stakeholders as part of developing the Council’s preferred option. 

 

(7)                Requested that before any final proposal is submitted to Government in November 2025, setting out Melton Borough Council’s preferred option, a report would be submitted to Full Council detailing the full benefits and weaknesses considered in relation to this, and compared against those options which have been rejected, and that Council will have an opportunity to consider, debate and give its view on this.

 

(8)                Thanks the Leader for all his work on devolution and local government reform and thanks him for circulating information when it becomes available. Acknowledges that there are bound to be differences of opinion but Council has complete trust in the Leader to represent the best interests of Melton Borough in a fair and balanced way. Welcomes the broader engagement envisaged with the public and stakeholders over the coming months.

 

(Unanimous)

 

At 7:11pm, the meeting was adjourned.

 

At 7:19pm, the meeting reconvened.