Unitary proposals for Norfolk

19th January 2010

In early 2008 the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government asked the Boundary Committee to advise on the future of Local Government in Norfolk. On the 7th December 2009 the Boundary Committee provided its advice to the Secretary of State. This in turn started a six-week consultation period which closed on the 19th January 2010.

Our response

We have submitted the Council's views on these proposals to the Secretary of State. These views have been prepared on behalf of six of Norfolk's eight councils - Breckland, Broadland, Great Yarmouth, King's Lynn & West Norfolk, North Norfolk and South Norfolk. They contest that proposals for a single county unitary council do not represent an improvement on existing arrangements and are not wanted by the public. In summary, we believe that the Committee have not made a case for change.

Our submission covers these points in some detail in the form of a 22 page joint letter to the Secretary of State, which is supported by nearly 500 pages of appendices. The letter is available here:

Letter to Secretary of State (pdf, 177kb)

To find out more about our concerns or view the supporting appendices visit: http://www.keepnorfolklocal.com/.

What Next?

Legally the Secretary of State has to allow two weeks to consider the representations made to him before he can announce a decision. Therefore that decision is anticipated on or after the 2nd February 2010. The Secretary of State could decide to do one of four things:

1. Require further information of the Boundary Committee.

2. Implement the original proposal for a unitary Norwich on existing city boundaries, with two-tier remainder.

3. Implement the Committee's alternative proposal for a single county unitary.

4. Determine to take no action.

Our submission requests him to do (1) and is ultimately aimed at persuading him to take no action.

If the Secretary of State decides to do (2) or (3) above he will need to prepare a 'statutory instrument' setting out the change to be made and seek its approval by both Houses of Parliament.

Previous Information

Earlier this year the Boundary Committee consulted on draft proposals, before finalising its advice. Our submissions to them are available below (30th June 2009).

To view the range of responses received by the Boundary Committee during the process please visit their website www.electoralcommission.gov.uk/boundary-reviews/about-structural-reviews

30th June 2009

The Boundary Committee has just finished consulting on its proposals to reorganise local government in Norfolk.

The proposals are available to view on the Boundary Committee's website .

The view of the Borough Council, which is shared by the majority of district councils in Norfolk, is that the proposals being put forward do not represent an improvement on the existing arrangements - to find out more about our concerns visit the Keep Norfolk Local website.

Our response to the committee comprises a covering letter to the committee in which we set out our key arguments and three appendices. Appendix A poses 15 questions to the committee which we are asking it to consider . Appendix B is an independent review of the financial information and viability of the proposed new unitaries. Appendix C is our appraisal of the strengths and weaknesses of the two options the committee has consulted on compared to the existing local government arrangements in Norfolk.

You can download our response here:

- Letter (pdf, 83kb)

- Appendix A: 15 questions (pdf, 181kb)

- Appendix B: Financial appraisal (pdf, 188kb)

- Appendix C: Options appraisal (pdf, 19kb)

Others have alternative views and these can be accessed via the Boundary Committee's website or by going to Norfolk County Council's website.

What next?

The Boundary Committee is scheduled to publish its final advice to the Secretary of State on 15 July 2009. There is then a period of four weeks during which representations can be made to her before she makes her decision. Any decision would need approval of Parliament before it could be implemented.

Last updated: 20 January 2010