Regionalisation of Local Government

The debate about regionalisation of government and services has been raging for some time. In November I wrote an article in the Essex Chronicle condemning regionalisation of our basic community services.

The debate about regionalisation of government and services has been raging for some time. In November I wrote an article in the Essex Chronicle condemning regionalisation of our basic community services.

I was concerned by the leaking of a memo from David Miliband, the Minister of Communities and Local Government, to John Prescott, about the Government's proposals for regionalisation.

The memo concerned Government proposals to push for more so-called unitary authorities. These would do away with the tried and tested two-tier system of District and County Councils.

I believe that people recognise these basic building blocks of local government. To do away with them would rob our community of a meaningful connection between elected public servants and those whom they represent.

But there is a wider principle here. Regionalisation is expensive and undemocratic, particularly when reform of local government is involved. We should be returning control of funding and decision making to local people.

Many people will remember the Government's decision not to proceed with a referendum on plans to introduce a 'northern assembly' in 2004. There was no public support for this needless and expensive change.

It has been calculated that the costs of reorganising local government in all 34 counties in England would be between £1 billion and £3.5 billion, depending on how many unitary authorities are created per county.

All purpose unitary authorities are a one-size-fits all solution which will further centralise decision making and take local government further away from the people that it represents.

Different types of local government are appropriate for different situations and they have developed to meet the needs of the people that they serve. Local government should be well understood, accessible and flexible.

These are exactly the strengths that were recognised when Braintree District Council was recently awarded the prestigious Public Policy Award by the Market Research Society for greatly improving customer services and achieving efficiency savings.

I will resist any attempts by the Government to force regional government on our communities when there is no need or desire for it."