Richmondshire councillors back East/West unitary model

The district council has proposed two North Yorkshire authorities should be created.

Richmondshire councillors have approved the submission of the so-called ‘East/West’ model for local government reorganisation.

Members of the authority voted last night in favour of submitting an outline bid to Government showing that the model was the best way to reorganise local government in North Yorkshire.

Councillors were presented with a KPMG research study providing evidence that the creation of two unitary authorities of balanced size would provide the strongest local leadership, the most effective services and the fairest democratic representation, as well as the most savings for local taxpayers.

They agreed submission of the case for change to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Council leader, Councillor Angie Dale, said: “Richmondshire has added its support to the east and west model – the model we believe will create a unitary system that best reflects the needs of our residents and those of the county.

“No one believes that in the current climate of covid 19 this is the right time to go through the process of reorganisation but the government has told us it is happening and it is therefore important we have a seat at the table and our voices are heard.

“Our submission will not only bring the best opportunity for improving the already excellent services we provide across the whole of North Yorkshire but it provides the best option for unlocking devolution.”

Members were told that councils have been invited to submit an outline bid to Government by November 9, proposing how unitary authorities could be created within North Yorkshire and York.

Over the summer, experts at KPMG were commissioned to assess a range of options and propose a model for local government reform based on research and evidence.

The model would see Craven, Harrogate, Richmondshire and Hambleton join together to form a unitary council in the West, and Selby, City of York, Ryedale and Scarborough join together to form a unitary council in the East.

All seven district and borough councils have considered the study this week – it needs just one council to agree to submit the KPMG research study to form part of the outline bid to Government in November.

Hambleton is the only authority so far to vote against the proposal, with councillors planning to tell to ministers it’s the wrong time for a local government reorganisation.

The model for reform is being countered by North Yorkshire County Council, which is expected to put forward a bid for a so-called ‘mega-council’ model.

This would create a unitary authority covering the whole of North Yorkshire, with a population of 618,000 while preserving the existing City of York unitary authority with a population of 211,000.

3 Comments

  1. Is there any indication as to where the two authorities will locate their headquarters?
    It is hoped that this will not turn into a ‘Bun Fight’!

  2. I agree with Hambleton that this us not the time for a reorganisation, I also wonder why no-one has thought about the old Ridings system, that evolved f very well over thousands of years. Theses things always seem to happen when a particular government needs to hang on to more votes. I would also be very suspect of any thing like this that comes from combined sources of Cummins and Johnson who both lie and twist rules.

  3. It is a bit stupid, we were told that the purchase of Lower School in Richmond would be a cost saving over a period of years – but now we cannot see out those years, it was effectively a waste of our money, because we will never realise those cost savings. I’m sure nobody will notice or care.

Comments are closed.