Yet another consultation on local government reorganisation, the process of combining district and county councils to create single ‘unitary authorities’. Government is calling the shots on this making it clear that it wants to abolish all district and county councils and that two is the optimum number of unitary authorities across the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough area.

The County Council is doing work on ‘Option A’ and this consultation is asking for views on that option.

https://yourvoice.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/your-future-councils/

South Cambridgeshire District Council and Cambridge City Council are proposing option B and I believe Huntingdonshire District Council is proposing Option C, although last time I was updated that was a bit more contentious.

To an extent it all feels a bit arbitrary as government retains the ultimate power. There has been concern from the outset that there is a map locked away in a drawer and whatever new unitary area a county proposes for itself government will ignore their desires and revert to the unitary areas on it’s secret map. We shall see….

There are valid arguments for unitary authorities over county and district councils. It makes sense to have road maintenance and road sweeping within the same authority. Similarly having the same authority collecting and disposing of waste has benefits. That said if I had just won power in a country where it felt as though there was a lot to put right as the Labour government did in 2024 I wouldn’t immediately press the self destruct button on local governments across the country. That, however, is politics. So if you have a view make comment now. There will no doubt be other consultations on the other options.