HDC Cabinet Calls On PM To Scrap Re-Organisation

Harborough District Council’s Cabinet is calling on the Prime Minister to abandon plans for local government re-organisation.

The authority will now write to Sir Keir Starmer demanding a u-turn on the move, which would see HDC scrapped and the area absorbed into much larger unitary council.

The government has ordered the changes to streamline local government, which it says will simplify services, save money and unlock additional funding.

However, HDC leader Phil Knowles is worried about the impact of such a major move.

Cllr Phil Knowles

A motion put forward by Cllr Knowles was backed by the council’s Cabinet last night.

It reads:

“The Central Government’s u-turn in last few weeks on welfare reforms, follows a number of other u-turns including winter fuel payments.

It is noted by Cabinet that the central government, prior to the 2024 General Election, did not reference abolishing two-tier local government in its manifesto and therefore has no mandate to proceed with this fundamental change. We believe that local district and borough councils provide essential discretionary services including economic development, community safety, welfare support and town centre events amongst others. These will be at risk, should districts be scrapped and merged with upper-tier councils, whose budgets face ever increasing pressures because of the failure of successive Westminster Governments to properly address social services and SEND funding shortfalls.

The economic case for moving to unitary councils is not proven, with estimated costs of transitions running into many £millions and no clear evidence from areas, where councils have moved to unitary status, that substantial savings are being made. It is also clear that across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, there is no consensus on how local government reform should proceed with competing bids, and disagreement over city expansion, with this Council’s Leadership expressing deep concerns about areas being moved into the city without the consent of the communities affected.

Proceeding with local government reform will be divisive, will cause huge disruption and will mean Councils are focused on managing transitions rather than delivering services. Therefore as the Cabinet of this authority, with Executive decision-making powers in relation to proposals on Local Government Reorganisation, we call on Sir Keir Starmer and the Westminster Government to perform a u-turn on Local Government Reform and drop its plans.

The Leader therefore recommends that the Cabinet instructs the Council’s Chief Executive to write to the Prime Minister to set out the Cabinet’s position and to communicate this with other local authorities in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.”