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UK General Elections in England |
On 1 April 2009structural changes to local government in England took place which reformed the local government of sevennon-metropolitan counties:Bedfordshire,Cheshire,Cornwall,County Durham,Shropshire,Northumberland, andWiltshire. In each case the government of the county was changed from a two-tier to aunitary system, with Bedfordshire and Cheshire being divided into two new unitary authorities.
Elections to the new authorities took place on 1 May 2008 for some of the new authorities, which took up their powers on 1 April 2009. In the remaining authorities elections took place two months later on 4 June 2009.
Following the passing of the Local Government Act 1992, theLocal Government Commission for England recommended a number of unitary authorities to be created in England during the 1990s. The changes that were implemented meant that much of the country continued to have a two-tier arrangement of local government.[1] Further proposals forunitary authorities in northern England, tied to the option of regional devolution, were put to a referendum in 2004 and were rejected. In 2006 the white paperStrong and Prosperous Communities invited local authorities in England to submit their own consensus-based proposals for unitary authority arrangements, to be submitted before 25 January 2007. Selected submissions went to a public consultation from March until June, with successful proposals announced in July. Legislative requirements for implementation were in place following the enactment of theLocal Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007.
Various local councils indicated their wish to seek unitary authority status. One town and three cities were overlooked by the 1990s review:Ipswich,Oxford,Norwich andExeter[2] proposed unitary status on their present boundaries, and commissioned a report jointly to press their case.[3] Norwich announced its intention to respond to the invitation,[4] as did Ipswich and Exeter.[5][6] InLancashire,Preston andSouth Ribble desired to form a single unitary authority although Preston bid for it alone.[7][8] TheCity of Lancaster considered seeking unitary status on its present boundaries (having supported a merger withSouth Lakeland andBarrow-in-Furness to form aMorecambe Bay unitary authority during the referendums review).[9] Blackpool advocated a merger with theFylde andWyre districts, which they did not support.[10]Pendle andBurnley also tried to form a unitary authority withRossendale; however Rossendale rejected this.
TheLocal Government Chronicle suggested that the non-metropolitan counties ofCornwall,Shropshire,Durham,Cumbria andNorthumberland would fit the government's criteria, and that the government would be unlikely to favour carving out unitary authorities from existing two-tier counties.[11] Shropshire County Council, as well as two of the five districts of Shropshire, stated their wish for a move to unitary status.[12][13] The issue was considered in Durham and Cumbria[14][15] and the idea of a North Cumbria authority covering the Eden, Copeland, Carlisle and Allerdale districts had some support.[16] The issue was also considered in Northumberland, with the county council in favour of one Northumberland unitary authority. Alan Beith, the MP forBerwick at the far north of Northumberland, suggested instead a three unitary solution, with authorities for the largely rural north and south-west, and an authority for the urban south-east (Wansbeck andBlyth Valley).[17]
On 26 January 2007, the government confirmed that 26 proposals for unitary authorities had been received.[18] Various county councils proposed they should become unitary authorities:Bedfordshire,Cheshire,Cornwall,Cumbria,Durham,North Yorkshire,Northumberland,Shropshire,Somerset andWiltshire. Districts seeking to become unitary authorities on their own wereBedford,Exeter,Ipswich,Lancaster,Oxford,Preston.Pendle andBurnley proposed merging as a unitary authority. On 27 March 2007, the government announced that the proposals by Bedfordshire, Bedford, Cornwall, Cheshire, Cumbria, Durham, Exeter, Ipswich, North Yorkshire, Norwich, Shropshire, Somerset and Wiltshire to become unitary authorities would go into the next phase, as would the proposal of Chester for a two-unitary authority Cheshire and by the districts of Northumberland for a two-unitary Northumberland.[19]
On 25 July 2007 it was announced that the unitary proposals byCumbria,North Yorkshire andSomerset[20] had been rejected.[21] On 5 December 2007 it was explained that the unitary proposals byExeter, andIpswich, like those ofNorwich (which were referred for review on 25 July 2007) did not meet the requirements to proceed; but may be reconsidered after theBoundary Committee has conducted a review of local government structures across the whole of the two-tier counties they are currently a part of.
A legal challenge was made byShrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council and byCongleton Borough Council to the government's decisions, on the basis (amongst other things) that the reviews were made without statutory authority. TheHigh Court and then on 4 March 2008 theCourt of Appeal rejected the challenge, finding that the review had been legalised retrospectively.[22]
| Region | Proposed by | Proposal | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| East | Bedfordshire County Council | single unitary authority |  Not proceeding |
| Bedford Borough Council | unitary authority with existing boundaries |  Implemented | |
| Mid Bedfordshire District Council South Bedfordshire District Council | unitaryCentral Bedfordshire | Implemented | |
| Ipswich Borough Council | unitary authority with existing boundaries | Referred toBoundary Committee who decided in February 2010 that while there was support for a unitary structure in Suffolk there were divergent views on what that structure should be. Accordingly, they suggested the establishment of "a countywide constitutional convention to reach a consensus on a unitary solution".[23][24] | |
| Norwich City Council | unitary authority with existing boundaries | Referred to Boundary Committee.[23] In February 2010 it was announced that Norwich was to become a unitary authority in April 2011, subject to the approval of Parliament.[24] | |
| East Midlands | no bids | ||
| London | not affected by the review | ||
| North East | Durham County Council | single unitary authority | Implemented |
| Northumberland County Council | single unitary authority | Implemented | |
| Northumberland districts | two unitary authorities | Not proceeding | |
| North West | Cheshire County Council | single unitary authority | Not proceeding |
| Chester City Council | two unitary authorities: Cheshire West and Chester andCheshire East[25] | Implemented | |
| Cumbria County Council | single unitary authority | Not proceeding | |
| South East | no bids | ||
| South West | Cornwall County Council | single unitary authority,Cornwall Council | Implemented |
| Exeter City Council | unitary authority with existing boundaries | Referred to Boundary Committee.[23] In February 2010 it was announced that Exeter was to become a unitary authority in April 2011, subject to the approval of Parliament.[24] | |
| Somerset County Council | single unitary authority | Not proceeding | |
| Wiltshire County Council | single unitary authority | Implemented | |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | North Yorkshire County Council | single unitary authority | Not proceeding |
| West Midlands | Shropshire County Council | single unitary authority | Implemented |
† - in the context of examining options for unitary arrangements in the wider county area.
‡ - the Boundary Committee is asked to advise whether an alternative unitary proposal for Norwich based on revised council boundaries could deliver the required improvements.
On 27 March 2007 Local Government MinisterPhil Woolas announced that 16 councils bidding for unitary status had been shortlisted to go forward for public consultation.[26] On 25 July 2007 Woolas' successorJohn Healey announced that nine proposals would proceed, subject to the approval ofParliament in theLocal Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007.[27] A further announcement on 5 December indicated that only the five county level proposals (Cornwall,Durham,Northumberland,Shropshire, andWiltshire) would proceed, while further consideration was to be given to the various proposals submitted for two more county areas (Bedfordshire andCheshire).[28] On 18 December it was confirmed that the two-authority plan forCheshire would proceed.[29] On 6 March 2008 it was confirmed that proposals forBedford Borough Council to become a unitary authority on its existing boundaries, and for Mid Bedfordshire District Council and South Bedfordshire District Council to merge to create a newCentral Bedfordshire authority would be implemented.
In the following areas, the existing non-metropolitan county has now also become a non-metropolitan district (i.e. a "unitary county") and the existing non-metropolitan districts have been abolished.
| Ceremonial county | Non-metropolitan districts abolished in 2009 | New unitary authority from 2009 | Existing unitary authorities from 1990s reforms | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cornwall | Penwith Kerrier Carrick Restormel (Borough) Caradon North Cornwall | Cornwall | Isles of Scilly † |  |
| Durham | Durham (City) Easington Sedgefield (Borough) Teesdale Wear Valley Derwentside Chester-le-Street | Durham | Hartlepool Darlington Stockton-on-Tees (part) |  |
| Northumberland | Blyth Valley (Borough) Wansbeck Castle Morpeth (Borough) Tynedale Alnwick Berwick-upon-Tweed (Borough) | Northumberland | none |  |
| Shropshire | North Shropshire Oswestry (Borough) Shrewsbury and Atcham (Borough) South Shropshire Bridgnorth | Shropshire | Telford and Wrekin |  |
| Wiltshire | Salisbury West Wiltshire Kennet North Wiltshire | Wiltshire | Swindon |  |
†sui generis unitary authority since 1890
In the following areas, the existing non-metropolitan counties have been abolished. Each of the two new non-metropolitan districts in Cheshire (resulting from amalgamations of the existing districts) is now also a non-metropolitan county. In Bedfordshire, the new Central Bedfordshire non-metropolitan district (resulting from the amalgamation of two existing districts) is now also a non-metropolitan county, and the previous Bedford non-metropolitan district is now a unitary council.
| Ceremonial county | Non-metropolitan districts abolished in 2009 | New unitary authorities from 2009 | Existing unitary authorities from 1990s reforms | Map pre 2009 | Map after 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bedfordshire | Mid Bedfordshire South Bedfordshire | 1.Bedford ‡ 2.Central Bedfordshire | 3.Luton | .png) |  |
| Cheshire | Ellesmere Port and Neston (Borough) Chester (District and City) Crewe and Nantwich (Borough) Congleton (Borough) Macclesfield (Borough) Vale Royal (Borough) | 1.Cheshire West and Chester[30][31] 2.Cheshire East | 3.Warrington 4.Halton | .svg) |  |
‡ existing district
TheBoundary Committee for England has completed its structural reviews forNorfolk,Suffolk andDevon.[32]
Initial draft proposals were published in July 2008. The committee was expected to make final recommendations by 31 December 2008, but these were delayed, due to legal challenges;[33] and because they didn't assess the potential new authorities in proposals which would have split up the counties between two or more unitaries in aggregate. As a result, a further set of draft proposals were published in March 2009:
The further draft recommendations propose two unitary options:
The further draft recommendations propose two unitary options:
The further draft recommendations propose two unitary options:
Final recommendations were then due in July 2009,[32] but a successful legal challenge from three District Councils in Suffolk wanting a three unitary model for Suffolk to be considered by the committee resulted in a further delay. The Boundary Committee appealed this decision in favour of Forest Heath, St Edmundsbury & Waveney Councils in October 2009; in December (2009) they found out their appeal had been successful.
The Boundary Committee has now submitted its final recommendations to the Secretary of State. In all three counties the committee has stated that its preferred option is for a countywide unitary covering the whole of the existing two-tier area to be implemented. In addition in relation to Suffolk they have stated they have no major reservations about the two unitary pattern of North Haven & Rural Suffolk being adopted.[38] Interested parties had until 19 January 2010 to make their representations to the Secretary of State.[32]
On 10 February 2010,Rosie Winterton, Minister of State for Local Government, announced the proposed final decisions on the unitary proposals:[24]
The changes in Devon/Exeter and Norfolk/Norwich were to come into effect in April 2011, subject to judicial review. Draft structural changes orders were approved by the House of Lords on 22 March 2010,[40] though the Lords took the unusual step of formally noting its regret.[41] The amendments did not alter the draft orders or affect the legal validity of the Lords approval. The House of Commons approved the draft orders on 23 March.[42] The final Exeter and Norwich orders were made on 24 March following a Government statement responding to the Lords vote.[43] However, the orders were quashed in a judicial review[44] causing elections to be held in Exeter and Norwich in September 2010.[45]
TheQueen's Speech at the May 2010State Opening of Parliament included a Local Government Bill to revoke structural change orders that would have established Exeter and Norwich as unitary authorities and prevent the implementation of the Suffolk unitary proposals.[46] The bill was introduced in the House of Lords on 27 May 2010.[47]
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