Whatever your views on local government reorganisation, I am sure that most of us agree the aim should be to keep pounds in people’s pockets. Fewer councils naturally means better value for money – for you, your family and Essex businesses. This has always been at the heart of our ambitions for local government reorganisation In Greater Essex.
That’s why, given a report we received last week from PwC alongside other evidence we have gathered, we are clear that the more new councils are created in Essex, the worse things become for value for money.
It is becoming clear that having more councils actually poses a significant risk to frontline line services. The more there are, the more money it will cost you as taxpayers for things like officer and councillor salaries. The more fragmented vital services like social care become, the harder it will become to deliver these in an efficient and safe way.
If we create too many councils, we risk bankrupting the whole council system in Essex, as new councils will effectively go bust before they even start. It will mean less services for you. It will also result in significant extra costs for you, that cannot be justified.
It is clear from Newton Europe’s research on social care that the costs associated with higher numbers of new councils are unsustainable, especially in the north east of Essex.
It is also now clear from PwC’s research that the additional costs of disaggregation and duplication of role across a higher number of councils will wipe out the opportunity for any savings of any substance.
And it is a simple truth that some services – like social care, but also highways – require scale in terms of geography, and therefore income (the taxes you pay) for them to operate at any kind of efficiency.
This is not just a matter of numbers on a spreadsheet but about the duty of care we owe to you as an Essex resident. By having fewer councils, there will be more money to spend on building new homes, better local facilities and job opportunities. Can we in all good conscience compromise offering Essex residents new homes and jobs because we’ve spent the money on more councillors and red tape? I don’t believe we can.
Of course, designing new councils isn’t just about finance, as important as that is. They must be responsive to communities.
But larger unitary councils are NOT a barrier to listening well and providing local services which work for local people. We can involve town and parish councils, for instance, to increase current levels of localism, as well as utilising our existing estate to create local community hubs. I have met the parish councils in my own division for instance and given them a real say over things like highways repairs.
We are now in the final stages of preparing businesses cases – in all probability there will be two - which will offer a view on the right number and configuration of the new councils.
They have been developed side-by-side with partners, in the open, with data and analysis being shared across councils. It’s no secret that there are differences of opinion among council leaders. But I also believe the way we have conducted the discussions in Essex does us credit. I am looking forward to the publication of these business cases and the further debate on their respective merits. But the evidence for me is clear. Less is more. And that means more for Essex residents.
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