Uttlesford Lib Dems back joining East Herts and South Cambs for ‘mega-council’

Uttlesford District Council’s Lib Dem group leader has backed a new mega-authority partnership with East Herts and South Cambridgeshire.

Cllr Geoffrey Sell, who represents Stansted North, opposes the “one size fits all approach dictated” by Labour and questions the financial benefits of the proposed reform.

Under the proposals, described as the biggest local government shake-up in 50 years, existing councils would be scrapped in Essex and replaced with fewer, larger authorities with more powers and responsibilities.

Exact details are yet to be announced but it could see all councils in the county abolished and the existing councils merged to create up to five new authorities.

Cllr Sell said: “The unitary authorities are far too big, we would like to see instead of 500,000 residents per council, more like 300,000.

“We question whether the economies of scale achieved through the creation of unitary councils are likely to be as significant as the Government claims.

“We will have fewer councillors but they will receive higher allowances. The elected mayor will carry a significant allowance. There is an elected mayor for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. It is not just the mayor but their deputies and support staff.

“We would support the concept of an elected mayor for Essex, We believe that the post should be elected through proportional representation.

“Until recently elected mayors were elected through the supplementary vote which ensured that they represented the majority of those who voted.

“We object to the one-size-fits-all approach dictated by central Government. Of the 72 existing unitary councils all but six have populations under 500,000.

“The timetable being set by the Government is too ambitious and rushed. We need to ensure the biggest local government reorganisation for 50 years is successful.

“There would be a logic to having a cross-county unitary consisting of East Herts, South Cambridgeshire and Uttlesford.

“We are opposed to the delay of elections for Essex County Council. We note that Cambridgeshire County Council which is controlled by the Liberal Democrats and Independents that elections are going ahead.”

The party is calling for politics to stay local, which it says will mean “ensuring as far as possible that decisions are taken closest to the people affected by them.”

The opposition party is also concerned about town and parish councils.