A Spalding councillor criticizes plans for two unitary authorities, fearing loss of local accountability and calling it a dictatorship.
Spalding: There’s a lot of chatter about the proposed changes to local government in Lincolnshire. Some folks are worried that if we end up with just two unitary councils, we might lose that local touch.
Lincolnshire County Council leader Martin Hill has been pushing for this idea, even suggesting a delay in the upcoming elections. But not everyone is on board with this plan.
Coun Rob Gibson, who represents Spalding, is really vocal about his concerns. He’s calling it a “dictatorship and not democracy,” saying that the whole council hasn’t even been consulted on this big decision.
He’s worried that if we only have two councils, all the power will shift away from local areas. It’s a big deal, especially since a recent white paper proposed the biggest shake-up in local government in 50 years.
Gibson mentioned that the Conservative leaders have been chatting about this behind closed doors, but he thinks it’s crucial to involve everyone in the conversation. Otherwise, it feels like decisions are being made by just a few people.
On the flip side, Coun Nick Worth, the leader of South Holland District Council, believes there will still be a chance for local voices to be heard. He’s waiting for more details from the government before jumping to conclusions.
He thinks it’s too early to panic until they get a definitive letter from the Secretary of State about how these changes will work. There’s talk of collaboration, so he’s hopeful that local councils will still have a say.
The government is pushing these changes, claiming they could save a whopping £2 billion. They’ve already signed off on a devolution deal for Greater Lincolnshire, which could bring in some serious funding for the area.
