FUTURE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Unsurprisingly, the Future of Local Government has been making the headlines this month.

Where local authorities have been at the mercy of central government funding cuts in recent years, and with little appetite for raising council tax to cope with the increase in demand across all services, both Somerset County Council and all four Districts have been stretched to the limit. What is clear, going forward, is that something has to change if we are not just to survive, but to move forward sustainably, taking into account the challenges our modern society faces. Doing nothing is not an option.

For sometime, the Leaders and CEOs of our local authorities have been meeting to consider options for our future; a presentation outlining a number of possibilities has been put before elected members.

What I would like to have seen is a clearer indication of the pros and cons of the options put forward.

Personally, I have never been a fan of ‘big’ organisations, but since attending a Local Government Association weekend at Warwick University, with councillors from across the country, I have revised my opinion. The majority were from unitary authorities and without exception they felt that as a result the people they represent were better served, in a more efficient and cost-effective way.

A unitary authority has single tier responsibility for all local government functions within a given area. At present, under our two-tier system, when making enquiries or raising concerns, members of the public are confused about which local authority to approach, and it often falls to elected members to act as intermediaries. This lack of clarity can result in unnecessary bureaucracy, duplication of effort and disorganised serviced delivery, with the additional cost that goes with such a level of inefficiency.

My contact with other unitary authorities has demonstrated that there is a strong case for a single authority to be able to prioritise and plan across all public services, without the constraints of red tape and conflicting priorities or decision-making schedules. Having one strategy and one direction will also release much needed funding opportunities.

The vision of the future favoured by Somerset’s district councils, who seem to be in accord, is for them to work more closely together. I would argue that we have always had the opportunity to work more closely together but there is little evidence of this being effective; each authority has its own priorities and agenda.

As a largely rural community, if we are to maximise our impact, and the influence we can have on central government for the benefit of our residents, then we must come together and act with one voice.

Everyone agrees, something must change. As the Leader of the South Somerset Conservative Group, I am heartened that when it comes to submitting the business case for a unitary authority, we are all in agreement that at the very least it is something that should not be dismissed out of hand without further exploration.


Cllr. Linda Vijeh
Conservative Group Leader
South Somerset District Council