February 10, 2017 8.10 am
This story is over 85 months old
Martin Hill: Local councils – time for change?
I believe politicians should listen to the people they represent, not dictate to them. That applies not just on the national stage, as with the historic EU referendum, but also at a grassroots level here in Lincolnshire. And that’s why – as you may have heard – I want residents to have their say on…
By Martin HillLeader of Lincolnshire County Council
I believe politicians should listen to the people they represent, not dictate to them.
That applies not just on the national stage, as with the historic EU referendum, but also at a grassroots level here in Lincolnshire.
And that’s why – as you may have heard – I want residents to have their say on the future of local government in the county.
At the moment, we have a “two-tier” set of arrangements involving eight main authorities – Lincolnshire County Council and the seven districts.
Put simply, that’s just far too many these days – and it isn’t financially sustainable.
It’s estimated that a new “unitary” system, with far fewer councils, could save as much as £150m – or £82,000 every week – over five years.
That’s a huge amount of money that could be used to protect frontline services, which are under pressure as funding for local government falls.
The savings could also be used to keep council tax down, helping local families as they struggle to make ends meet themselves.
Besides being less wasteful, a streamlined system would be much less complicated for residents.
As things stand, people are understandably unsure which council to contact about a particular service – that confusion would disappear overnight.
What’s more, having one less tier would leave more space for town and parish councils to flourish, strengthening grassroots links with local people.
So why hasn’t a unitary system been brought in before?
In many areas of the country, it already has – and the benefits are obvious.
Crucially, greater simplicity has helped make services more affordable – and that’s a lesson Lincolnshire authorities can no longer ignore.
As budgets fall, the services we provide for county residents are having to be cut or, in some cases, stopped altogether.
That’s not something any of us want – and we need to find new and better ways of doing things.
Last year, a proposed Lincolnshire devolution deal was rejected by the county council following consultation with local people.
We were guided by the fact that 53% of those taking part in this area said they didn’t want an elected mayor.
Many of you clearly regarded this as an unnecessary new level of bureaucracy – and urged us to consider new unitary arrangements instead.
I believe the time for that debate has now come, and the issue is going before a full meeting of Lincolnshire County Council on February 24.
In that debate, members will decide whether to put the question to local people in a poll.
The poll would be designed to find out if you favour abolishing the current set-up of eight Lincolnshire councils and replacing it with some kind of unitary arrangement.
That could ultimately be a single countywide authority – or perhaps two or more councils covering smaller areas.
The principle, though, would be clear – each area would only have one main council providing services.
As regards timing, the poll would be held at the same time as the May local government elections.
That way, costs would be kept to a minimum, while still finding out the views of the people who really matter – the residents of Lincolnshire.
Martin Hill OBE is the Conservative Leader of Lincolnshire County Council. A former farmer, Martin was elected to Lincolnshire County Council in 1993, representing Folkingham Rural. He became council leader in 2005 and was later awarded an OBE for services to Lincolnshire. Martin lives in a former pub at Kirby Underwood with wife Janice and their irrepressible Patterdale Terrier, Boris.
The Lincolnite welcomes your views. All comments are reactively-moderated and must obey the house rules. Please stay on topic and be respectful of other readers.
February 10, 2017 8.09 am
This story is over 85 months old
Martin Hill: Local councils – time for change?
I believe politicians should listen to the people they represent, not dictate to them. That applies not just on the national stage, as with the historic EU referendum, but also at a grassroots level here in Lincolnshire. And that’s why – as you may have heard – I want residents to have their say on…
I believe politicians should listen to the people they represent, not dictate to them.
That applies not just on the national stage, as with the historic EU referendum, but also at a grassroots level here in Lincolnshire.
And that’s why – as you may have heard – I want residents to have their say on the future of local government in the county.
At the moment, we have a “two-tier” set of arrangements involving eight main authorities – Lincolnshire County Council and the seven districts.
Put simply, that’s just far too many these days – and it isn’t financially sustainable.
It’s estimated that a new “unitary” system, with far fewer councils, could save as much as £150m – or £82,000 every week – over five years.
That’s a huge amount of money that could be used to protect frontline services, which are under pressure as funding for local government falls.
The savings could also be used to keep council tax down, helping local families as they struggle to make ends meet themselves.
Besides being less wasteful, a streamlined system would be much less complicated for residents.
As things stand, people are understandably unsure which council to contact about a particular service – that confusion would disappear overnight.
What’s more, having one less tier would leave more space for town and parish councils to flourish, strengthening grassroots links with local people.
So why hasn’t a unitary system been brought in before?
In many areas of the country, it already has – and the benefits are obvious.
Crucially, greater simplicity has helped make services more affordable – and that’s a lesson Lincolnshire authorities can no longer ignore.
As budgets fall, the services we provide for county residents are having to be cut or, in some cases, stopped altogether.
That’s not something any of us want – and we need to find new and better ways of doing things.
Last year, a proposed Lincolnshire devolution deal was rejected by the county council following consultation with local people.
We were guided by the fact that 53% of those taking part in this area said they didn’t want an elected mayor.
Many of you clearly regarded this as an unnecessary new level of bureaucracy – and urged us to consider new unitary arrangements instead.
I believe the time for that debate has now come, and the issue is going before a full meeting of Lincolnshire County Council on February 24.
In that debate, members will decide whether to put the question to local people in a poll.
The poll would be designed to find out if you favour abolishing the current set-up of eight Lincolnshire councils and replacing it with some kind of unitary arrangement.
That could ultimately be a single countywide authority – or perhaps two or more councils covering smaller areas.
The principle, though, would be clear – each area would only have one main council providing services.
As regards timing, the poll would be held at the same time as the May local government elections.
That way, costs would be kept to a minimum, while still finding out the views of the people who really matter – the residents of Lincolnshire.
Councillor Martin Hill is the leader of Lincolnshire County Council.
The Lincolnite welcomes your views. All comments are reactively-moderated and must obey the house rules. Please stay on topic and be respectful of other readers.
The 2024 Lincolnshire Business Excellence Awards are now open for nominations, seeking to spotlight outstanding businesses within the Greater Lincolnshire area.
Hosted by Stonebow Media, the publisher behind The Lincolnite and the MyLocal platform, this prestigious event is designed to honour the achievements of the regional business community.
Thanks to the headline sponsorship from the University of Lincoln Enterprise & Research department, the Lincolnshire Business Excellence Awards are a unique opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the contributions of local enterprises.
The awards are also sponsored by Ringrose Law, Duncan & Toplis, Sills & Betteridge and Pearson Hydraulics. A small number of sponsorship opportunities remain available. Contact [email protected] to discuss partnerships.
Businesses can nominate themselves across eleven awards categories:
The deadline for nominations is May 24, with the judges’ deliberation lunch set for May 29.The judging panel includes business experts and professionals from Lincolnshire and event sponsors.
The Lincolnshire Business Excellence Awards 2024 gala will take place at the Engine Shed on July 12, 2024.
Enhance profile & credibility: Securing an award or being shortlisted acts as a powerful endorsement, signaling trustworthiness to potential customers and helping to distinguish your business from competitors. Displaying the award on your communications can significantly boost your brand’s perception.
Insightful focus & feedback: The application process encourages deep reflection on your business strategy and direction, offering invaluable feedback and clarity, even for new ventures.
Team confidence boost: Recognition from the awards can significantly uplift your team’s morale, affirming the value and potential of your business in the eyes of industry experts.
Marketing & PR boost: Being associated with the awards, even as a nominee, can enhance brand visibility, providing ample content opportunities for social media and other marketing channels.
Networking opportunities: The awards connect you with local business leaders and experts, offering a platform to seek advice, share ideas, and foster future partnerships. The ceremony itself is an excellent occasion for networking with peers and celebrating mutual successes.
Potential to win: Entering offers a chance to win and gain all the associated benefits, but even without taking home a trophy, the process can yield significant advantages for your business.
A Lady Gaga loving kitten owned by a couple who run a charity for disabled pets featured on Channel 5’s The Pet Psychic.
Pet Psychic Beth Lee-Crowther comes to the aid of pet owners and in Tuesday night’s episode she met Cookie the kitten, a depressed camel, and looked at whether a dog can predict the future.