Council seeks answers on local government changes

Nottinghamshire County Council has taken the first step towards a potential legal challenge over the restructuring of local government in the county.

In July, the government announced its preferred options for local government reorganisation (LGR), which will see traditional two-tier county and district councils nationwide replaced with single unitary authorities.

Reform UK-controlled Nottinghamshire's leader Mick Barton wrote to the government on Thursday over the "reasoning, evidence and rationale" behind the decision to create two councils.

The pre-action letter seeks "more clarity" from government ahead of a possible judicial review being launched into how LGR was drawn up in the county.

A structural changes order, legislation needed to set up the new councils, is being drawn up by ministers.

The changes are scheduled to take effect in 2028.

In Nottinghamshire, a new Greater Nottingham Council would cover Nottingham and parts of Broxtowe, Gedling and Rushcliffe.

A second Nottinghamshire Council would serve the remainder of Broxtowe, Gedling and Rushcliffe, alongside Ashfield, Bassetlaw, Mansfield and Newark and Sherwood.

The Labour government maintains that LGR will improve public services, boost regional growth, speed up infrastructure delivery, and streamline regional economies.

The council had previously written to Steve Reed, the former Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, seeking details on the decision-making process.

Barton said raising concerns about the process now was "not a step our council has taken lightly", adding that the authority had written to Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire's seven district and borough councils to make them aware of its action.

Barton said: "Transparency regarding the decision-making process is essential given the significance of the proposals and the implications for residents and communities across Nottinghamshire and Nottingham.

"This is why we have taken this action to seek clarification of the reasoning, evidence and rationale behind the Secretary of State's decision, so we have a clear understanding of how the decision was reached."

Prime Minister Andy Burnham commented on LGR during a visit to the East Midlands in August.

Speaking in Ilkeston, Derbyshire, he said it was a process "about improving the effectiveness of local councils and consolidating their resources".

But he added: "I'm always prepared to look again at issues and coming in, I will take a look at the consultation and the responses, and I know sometimes these changes are not easy."

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