Issue - meetings

The report of the Chief Executive is attached.

It was RESOLVED that:

a)     the Leader of the Council and Chief Executive be authorised to undertake engagement regarding Local Government Reorganisation options including proper public consultation with all affected parties, and following a clear timescale to be agreed, which allows due consideration for affected parties and respects local democracy;

b)     the Local Government Reorganisation Member Group be re-formed, chaired by the Leader of the Council, to engage with the process and support Rushcliffe Borough Council’s involvement in shaping the future of local government;

c)     a budget of up to £60,000 be allocated for working collectively with other local authority partners to identify and consult on the best options for the future;

d)     the Cabinet be updated regularly on the progress of any work; and

e)     preferred options for any future Local Government Reorganisation that affects Rushcliffe Borough Council be referred to Full Council for consideration and debate.

The Leader presented the report of the Chief Executive providing an update on proposals for Local Government Reorganisation.

The Leader referred to the significance of this issue for everyone.  It was anticipated that the Government’s Devolution White Paper would be published in the autumn, which would set out the guidelines for future devolution.  The Government’s agenda was to simplify the local government landscape, incorporating cost and efficiency savings.  Some authorities had already gone through unitarisation and reorganisation and as a proactive Council, it was considered to be both timely and pertinent to prepare the framework to go forward and take an active role in future negotiations.  The recommendations contained in the report provided the Council with the framework to move forward and in particular to ensure that appropriate public consultation would take place, which would allow due consideration for affected parties and would respect local democracy.  The importance of establishing a framework was reiterated to allow the Council to actively participate in the debate and negotiations going forward.

In seconding the recommendation, Councillor Mason reiterated the importance of this issue and the necessity to have an appropriate framework in place, together with full public consultation.  There were different ways of delivering unitarisation and it was vital that the Council was proactive and involved in every stage of the decision making process, with all councils in Nottinghamshire being involved. 

The Leader highlighted the different services provided by the District Councils and County Council, including waste collection and recycling and the fragmentation across the county, with the County Council being the Waste Disposal Authority and District Councils making the collections.  Going forward there would be opportunities to improve those services and the importance of full public consultation on those matters was reiterated.  It was important to acknowledge that change would take place, the report set out the Council’s position and framework to go forward, and all Councillors would be updated on any major issues at Full Council meetings.

It was RESOLVED that:

a)     the Leader of the Council and Chief Executive be authorised to undertake engagement regarding Local Government Reorganisation options including proper public consultation with all affected parties, and following a clear timescale to be agreed, which allows due consideration for affected parties and respects local democracy;

b)     the Local Government Reorganisation Member Group be re-formed, chaired by the Leader of the Council, to engage with the process and support Rushcliffe Borough Council’s involvement in shaping the future of local government;

c)     a budget of up to £60,000 be allocated for working collectively with other local authority partners to identify and consult on the best options for the future;

d)     the Cabinet be updated regularly on the progress of any work; and

e)     preferred options for any future Local Government Reorganisation that affects Rushcliffe Borough Council be referred to Full Council for consideration and debate.