Review process "flawed" says Peter
2nd September 2008
The current review of local government arrangements in Suffolk and Norfolk is a flawed process and an unnecessary diversion of time, money and effort at a time that councils should be concentrating on providing better services and help to those exposed by the current economic uncertainty. The fact that CEFAS’ plans to consolidate their operations in Lowestoft have been put on hold is a major concern.
The process is flawed because the current system has been excluded from the review and because only now after the publication of the draft proposals are public views being sought. If this consultation had taken place earlier, the Boundary Committee would have known at an early stage that Yartoft and the proposal to jettison Lowestoft in to Norfolk would be deeply unpopular. This is evidenced by the campaigns and polls run both by the Journal and the local radio stations.
Up to now, the Boundary Committee have done no work on the affordability of changing to a unitary system, though they do state that all the costs of change must be met locally and be paid back within 5 years. In short this means that the local Council Tax payer will be required to pay for a reorganisation, which based on past experience may well overrun its budget.
According to research carried out by Cambridge University in 2006 reorganisation could cost in the region of £121 per head. The research also concluded that there was no reason to suppose that council services will improve as a result of reorganisation.
Bob Blizzard continues to champion the cause of Yartoft. There is no evidence that this merger would lead to better services. In fact it is likely that existing resources and expertise in the areas of education, social care and transport will be diluted and disrupted and result in poorer services.
The review is an expensive sideshow at a time of growing economic hardship which Lowestoft and Waveney could do without.
Peter Aldous, Conservative Parliamentary candidate for Waveney, Wissett, Halesworth, Suffolk, IP19 0RA.
