Councillors vote unanimously to oppose the Boundary Committee’s proposals

Added: 25/07/2008
Category: NNDC

North Norfolk District Council voted unanimously at a special meeting last night, Thursday 24 July 2008, to oppose the Boundary Committee’s proposal to scrap the existing local government structure in Norfolk and replace it with a county-wide unitary authority plus Lowestoft.

The cross-bench motion included recommendations to work with other district councils to challenge the inadequacies of the proposal and to seek legal advice as to the prospects for a judicial review.

Councillors were told that if the proposal went ahead the electorate in the new authority would receive just one third of the democratic representation of some urban councils and that funding for local projects would be channelled through unelected ‘qangos’. They were also informed that the proposal takes no account of the government’s own reports on such important issues as rural deprivation, community engagement or the future of the coast.

“This is a very bad proposal,” said Cllr. Virginia Gay, Leader of North Norfolk District Council. “It’s bad for the people of Norfolk, bad for democracy itself, and we will oppose it strongly. However, in order to ensure that the best interests of the residents of North Norfolk are reflected in any final new arrangement we will continue to cooperate with all levels of local government to work up the detailed proposals.”

Councillors called for their strongly-held views to be sent direct not only to the Boundary Committee but also to both the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Hazel Blears, and the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown.