Borough Council raises grave concerns about moving to one large council

Proposals to scrap every council in Leicestershire and replace it with one single enlarged council for the county, have received a thumbs down from local borough councillors.

During a debate in a full council meeting, Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council leaders and councillors of all parties raised grave concerns about how moving to one large council would affect local residents, saying they fear that merging the councils could result in residents paying more for a remote council to deliver fewer services.

Councillors agreed to carry out a survey to seek residents’ opinions on some of the proposals and to work with other local councils to look at a range of possible ways to deliver council services in the future. They also took the unusual step of issuing a joint statement in support of the Council Leader’s proposals.

The statement said:

“At our council meeting of 7 August 2018 we agreed the following:

1. It is not in the best interests of borough residents to scrap Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council in favour of a Unitary Council for Leicestershire
2. Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council will undertake a survey with Hinckley residents to see if they are in favour of the introduction of a Town Council
3. Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council will work with all other Leicestershire authorities to evaluate a range of options on how best to deliver local government services in Leicestershire
4. Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council will work with all other East Midlands councils to consider the options for a combined authority/strategic alliance, and to determine what powers this new authority would seek

We have taken this stand because we all agree that this council should be at the heart of any re-organisation and not a casualty of a plan being drawn up without the involvement of its officers or members.

Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council has some of the most dedicated officers of any council in Leicestershire. Many live in the community and take pride in the work they do to deliver services for their community.

We do not support the proposals to scrap this council in favour of a Unitary Authority for Leicestershire, and if there is to be a discussion about re-organisation of local government in Leicestershire and the East Midlands then we and our residents should be fully involved in those discussions.

Officers and Members will now seek to work with all other councils in the East Midlands, to review the structure of local government and how it may be improved to deliver better services for our residents.”

Councillor Mike Hall, Leader of the council and Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council Conservative Group Leader said: “I am well aware of the financial pressures being faced by county councils across the East Midlands, but merging their services with those of the borough and district councils is not the way to solve them. Whilst Leicestershire County Council are managing their budget it is at a cost to some services and I believe that their latest proposals would be damaging to the services this council delivers to residents across Hinckley and Bosworth.”

Councillor Stuart Bray, Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council Liberal Democrat Group Leader said: “I strongly support sticking with the present structure. A large, remote super-council will take decision-making away from local people. We have heard in the past week from the leadership of Shropshire Council, who have undergone a similar costly reorganisation, that they have diverted resources away from basic services such as maintaining parks and open spaces.”

Councillor Matthew Lay, Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council Labour Councillor said: "Over the years the borough has worked hard to ensure it provides first class services to resident using directly employed workers and doing so with some of the lowest costs to tax payers in the country. It’s hard to see how any offer from Leicester County Council could be of benefit to residents in the borough. It would be a massive step backwards and a betrayal of all our communities."