My Lords, I declare my interest as a vice-president of the LGA. It is very encouraging to see how keen the Liberal Democrats are to scrutinise the Government. Given the inconsistent approach to last week’s reorganisation announcements, can the Minister please confirm whether officials advised Ministers that an expansion of...

My Lords, I declare my interest as a vice-president of the LGA. It is very encouraging to see how keen the Liberal Democrats are to scrutinise the Government. Given the inconsistent approach to last week’s reorganisation announcements, can the Minister please confirm whether officials advised Ministers that an expansion of...

When we took these decisions, we were very aware that some of the councils involved were already receiving exceptional financial support. We continue to work with those councils through the EFS process in the usual way, but LGR will save money over time and make the sector more sustainable in...

When we took these decisions, we were very aware that some of the councils involved were already receiving exceptional financial support. We continue to work with those councils through the EFS process in the usual way, but LGR will save money over time and make the sector more sustainable in...

Can my noble friend provide some details and facts? She may not be able to answer now, but I would like her to do so in writing. The Statement claims that there will be very substantial savings from this operation—savings of £1 billion are mentioned at one point—but it is...

Can my noble friend provide some details and facts? She may not be able to answer now, but I would like her to do so in writing. The Statement claims that there will be very substantial savings from this operation—savings of £1 billion are mentioned at one point—but it is...

The estimate of the savings came from the work that the local authorities did themselves. I accept that there will be a great deal of work to be done through the process as we transition to these unitary authorities. But, quite frankly, I have worked in a two-tier authority in...

The estimate of the savings came from the work that the local authorities did themselves. I accept that there will be a great deal of work to be done through the process as we transition to these unitary authorities. But, quite frankly, I have worked in a two-tier authority in...

My Lords, the Prime Minister said yesterday:

“We will take power out of here and carry it into every postcode in the land so that they can do more”.

Indeed, the Minister said the very same thing a moment ago. Yet this Statement centralises power into unitary councils; it does not devolve...

My Lords, the Prime Minister said yesterday:

“We will take power out of here and carry it into every postcode in the land so that they can do more”.

Indeed, the Minister said the very same thing a moment ago. Yet this Statement centralises power into unitary councils; it does not devolve...

My Lords, the noble Lord was part of the discussions on the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, which set out clearly the role of town and parish councils as we develop neighbourhood governance processes. I went to the National Association of Local Councils—NALC—conference recently and spoke to them, and...

My Lords, the noble Lord was part of the discussions on the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, which set out clearly the role of town and parish councils as we develop neighbourhood governance processes. I went to the National Association of Local Councils—NALC—conference recently and spoke to them, and...

My Lords, it is obvious that you cannot make an omelette without breaking eggs, but this seems to have left rather a lot of shell in there, if we listen to the complaints from around the country. Can the Minister confirm that, if the new Prime Minister’s focus for the...

My Lords, it is obvious that you cannot make an omelette without breaking eggs, but this seems to have left rather a lot of shell in there, if we listen to the complaints from around the country. Can the Minister confirm that, if the new Prime Minister’s focus for the...

I am grateful to the noble Lord for mentioning our new Prime Minister, because he is quite keen on devolution—that might have something to do with his background in the last few years. I am sure he will want to see those building blocks of strong unitary authorities in place...

I am grateful to the noble Lord for mentioning our new Prime Minister, because he is quite keen on devolution—that might have something to do with his background in the last few years. I am sure he will want to see those building blocks of strong unitary authorities in place...

My Lords, I warmly congratulate the Minister and the Government on their decision to extend the boundaries of the city of Leicester. Does she agree with me that its current boundaries are absurd and should have been extended years ago, as half of what is really the city is presently...

My Lords, I warmly congratulate the Minister and the Government on their decision to extend the boundaries of the city of Leicester. Does she agree with me that its current boundaries are absurd and should have been extended years ago, as half of what is really the city is presently...

I am grateful to my noble friend, as ever, particularly for his championing of Leicestershire, which he does admirably.

The Government were always clear that boundary changes could be considered where there is a strong justification. Where proposals set out a credible case, we have considered them on their merits....

I am grateful to my noble friend, as ever, particularly for his championing of Leicestershire, which he does admirably.

The Government were always clear that boundary changes could be considered where there is a strong justification. Where proposals set out a credible case, we have considered them on their merits....

My Lords, the Labour Party has a record of trying to destroy what it regards as Tory support, particularly in the shires. We saw that with its cack-handed approach to regional assemblies, which got nowhere. I do not know how well the Minister knows Devon, my county, but she has...

My Lords, the Labour Party has a record of trying to destroy what it regards as Tory support, particularly in the shires. We saw that with its cack-handed approach to regional assemblies, which got nowhere. I do not know how well the Minister knows Devon, my county, but she has...

I am going to sound a bit like a stuck record, but the proposals came forward from the local authorities themselves.

I am going to sound a bit like a stuck record, but the proposals came forward from the local authorities themselves.

Oh!

Oh!

Well, we looked at all the proposals that were submitted and we assessed them. Noble Lords opposite can laugh if they want. I have been through this whole exercise of assessing every proposal that came forward against the criteria set for them. We did that fairly against the criteria that...

Well, we looked at all the proposals that were submitted and we assessed them. Noble Lords opposite can laugh if they want. I have been through this whole exercise of assessing every proposal that came forward against the criteria set for them. We did that fairly against the criteria that...

My Lords, as a councillor, I have always represented about 3,000 electors, but they and I always had the certainty and clarity of where strategic responsibilities and responsibility for service delivery lay within the London borough and the GLA. I do not believe that that has historically been the case...

My Lords, as a councillor, I have always represented about 3,000 electors, but they and I always had the certainty and clarity of where strategic responsibilities and responsibility for service delivery lay within the London borough and the GLA. I do not believe that that has historically been the case...

I am grateful to my noble friend for raising this very important issue. Those of us who have operated in two-tier areas would often look at London boroughs and other unitaries—the unitary of the noble Lord, Lord Jamieson, was very close to my local authority—to see that clarity is much...

I am grateful to my noble friend for raising this very important issue. Those of us who have operated in two-tier areas would often look at London boroughs and other unitaries—the unitary of the noble Lord, Lord Jamieson, was very close to my local authority—to see that clarity is much...

My Lords, I draw attention to my registered interest as chair of the Cambridgeshire Development Forum. The Minister said that no decision had been made on unitaries in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. I looked at the letter that was sent to leaders of local authorities and it did not explain why...

My Lords, I draw attention to my registered interest as chair of the Cambridgeshire Development Forum. The Minister said that no decision had been made on unitaries in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. I looked at the letter that was sent to leaders of local authorities and it did not explain why...

I am very grateful that we will debate that issue tomorrow, because at one point this afternoon I thought we might not. I am very pleased that we will debate the Cambridgeshire development corporation tomorrow.

In relation to Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, local government reorganisation is a fundamental change that will affect...

I am very grateful that we will debate that issue tomorrow, because at one point this afternoon I thought we might not. I am very pleased that we will debate the Cambridgeshire development corporation tomorrow.

In relation to Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, local government reorganisation is a fundamental change that will affect...

My Lords, I declare my position as vice-president of the Local Government Association and of the NALC. The Green Party shares many of the concerns expressed from the Front Benches, and indeed the Back Benches, all around your Lordships’ House on the question of process and the imposition from Westminster...

My Lords, I declare my position as vice-president of the Local Government Association and of the NALC. The Green Party shares many of the concerns expressed from the Front Benches, and indeed the Back Benches, all around your Lordships’ House on the question of process and the imposition from Westminster...

First of all, I do not think that they will be far-distant unitary councillors. In my experience, councillors have a great connection with their local area and they will continue to do so. I will answer the noble Baroness’s question in two ways. There is still a process where people...

First of all, I do not think that they will be far-distant unitary councillors. In my experience, councillors have a great connection with their local area and they will continue to do so. I will answer the noble Baroness’s question in two ways. There is still a process where people...