A top Lancaster Tory claims Reform UK councillors at Lancashire County Council are ‘idiots and clowns’ for considering a public referendum over devolution questions, such as a regional mayor and council mergers, while also seeking financial efficiencies.
Lancashire City Council: Tory councillor attacks reform
Conservative city councillor Andrew Gardiner, who was also a county councillor until this May, attacked Reform during updates on local government reorganisation and devolution at Lancaster City Council.
Potential borough council mergers or abolition could come under a proposed shake-up by Westminster. The government wants new, bigger English unitary authorities by 2028 and the two-tier county and district system scrapped. Councils have until November to submit detailed future ideas to the government.
The government has suggested each new authority should serve a population of around 500,000. Lancashire has around 1.5million people. Some people believe two or three new councils are likely. Some would like four with smaller populations. Lancaster could merge with Preston and the Ribble Valley, some have suggested. But nothing is agreed yet.
A merger of borough councils or devolution?
At Lancaster City Council, Coun Gardiner, leader of the Tory group, asked council leader Caroline Jackson, leader of the Green group, about the latest situation following her regular written report.
Caroline Jackson of Lancaster City Council
Pic: Robbie MacDonald LDRS. Partner approved
Her report stated:
The new county council administration has declared its intention to hold a referendum on devolution. Latest government contact no longer states its intention that the county should have mayoral elections in the coming year.
To this, Coun Gardiner said:
A lot of so-called politicians at County Hall want a referendum, which some might welcome. However, if we don’t discuss proposals with different councils and the government, we will end-up being left behind. Can you tell us what you are doing to make sure this council is in full discussions and we are doing everything possible to successfully take this forward?
Coun Jackson replied.
A referendum would be very expensive. We are involved in discussions about local government reorganisation. I’m not very keen on the government’s idea but that does not mean we don’t get involved. We’ve had discussions with the county council and the new Lancashire Combined County Authority. But that has stopped at the moment because of county council changes.
However, we have a district councils’ meeting in Chorley soon and will work-out our points there. At the moment, there’s talk of three or four new authorities. But compromises are going to be needed, I think. We need to have our own work ready by September, to take to our council.
Then Coun Gardiner added:
I think it’ll probably be one, two or three new authorities. But can we ask that the people involved in discussions boycott the county council and talk directly to government minister Jim McMahon? The idiots and clowns now running the county council are talking about a referendum, which would cost a whole lot of money. Please speak directly to Jim McMahon and boycott the county.
No comment yet
Lancashire’s Reform UK leadership has been contacted for comment.
In other updates Coun Jackson stated there has been limited action this spring, owing to a delayed government response to the council’s early comments and the county council elections. But recent government feedback had arrived and meetings are due between councils. The government letter also suggested ‘neighbourhood councils’ be developed to support residents.
Also, Coun Jackson said a recent government email suggested adult services should not be split between any new councils before a national care enquiry is held by Baroness Louise Casey, called the Casey Commission.
