6 August 2010
Whitehall has dismissed calls by members of the public for more unitary authorities. Responding to the coalition’s flagship policy consultation yesterday, the Department for Communities and Local Government said that creating new unitary authorities was expensive and disruptive.
A total of 352 people took the time to comment on the communities and local government section of the coalition agreement as part of the Programme forGovernment consultation.
One respondent said the two-tier system in local government was a ‘crazy duplication’, adding: ‘You could save hundreds of millions of pounds by having unitary councils everywhere.’
But the DCLG did not agree, saying: ‘We do not believe that in the current financial circumstances, this is the time to be imposing new local government structures.
‘We have made clear that we want more service-sharing in local government. Examples exist, with councils sharing management teams or back-office services such as IT, payroll and human resources, and in frontline services such as building control and benefit services.’
In May, the coalition government scrapped plans to create unitary authorities in Devon, Norfolk and Suffolk.
People also told the consultation that they would like a bigger role for faith groups. Many said that community faith groups, particularly Christian churches, had been sidelined by local authorities and were being passed over when grants were being handed out. Some blamed what they perceived to be councils’ ‘politically correct’ agendas.
In response, the DCLG said faith communities made a vital contribution to national life and were an important component of the Big Society.
‘Of course, we want services to be offered equally to all people regardless of their faith. But we know that the vast majority of faith groups not only accept this, but fully embrace their role in helping to ensure the welfare of all in their local community.’
Respondents also called for a greater supply of affordable housing and curbs on senior pay levels.
The programme was launched by the prime minister and deputy prime minister on May 20 and a total of 9,500 comments have been published on the website.
Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander said: ‘The response has been fantastic and I'm pleased to see people have really engaged with this process.
‘I hope people will see that this is different, it's a permanent change to the way we run government, and that it is worthwhile engaging in this kind of process in the future. It's important for us in government to remember we don't have all the answers.’
