Local Government Minister Rosie Winterton has announced the Government's final decisions on unitary proposals for Norwich and given the go ahead for Norwich to run all local council services as a unitary authority.
The Government has rejected the advice of the Boundary Committee, which had recommended a single unitary authority for the whole County of Norfolk which would have seen the demise of all District Councils in Norfolk including Broadland District Council.
After listening to local views and Boundary Committee advice, Ministers decided there was no option but to rule out unitary authorities for the whole of Norfolk, as they could not succeed without commanding the support of the local councils.
The proposals for unitary authority for Norwich will now be voted on by Parliament before they become law. If Parliament approves the proposals, the councils can start putting in place transitional arrangements ready for elections to the new councils in 2011.
Stephen Heard the Chair of Stop Norwich UrBanisation (SNUB) said: “It is disappointing that central government did not opt for the full blown Unitary proposal for Norfolk which would, if it had been successful, have seen the devolution of powers to community groups and Parish Councils. This would have given the authority to decide on such critical matters as planning back to the people it most impacts on ie the residents.
We believe that if the Norfolk Unitary had gone ahead the devolved planning powers would have enabled local communities to put a stop to the proposals for large scale development at Rackheath and the North East Triangle. This would have prevented the advancement of one of this Governments flagship housing policies the so called proposed Eco Town at Rackheath. It was therefore easier for the government to fudge the decision and surprise everyone with the proposal for Norwich to become a Unitary authority whilst retaining its original city boundaries; the least expected decision of all!
It is ironic that the counties where Unitary Councils are being set up are planning to save millions of taxpayers money yet here in Broadland we are faced with a District Council who has resisted these savings whilst going begging to central government for funds for the Eco Town. It is also intent on spending millions of our money on ill conceived marketing events, promotions, advertising and flawed consultation events where the majority of attendees are council employees.
The ratepayers of Broadland are now faced with a District Council that does not listen to its residents, has a large hole in its funding for developments such as the NDR and the Eco Town and has 13 District Councilors who are also County Councilors. The politics of a madhouse.”
IF MR BROWM WANT MORE eco houses let them build them in scotland on his own door step
ReplyDeletewow you lot are really bright, some cant even spell BROWN
ReplyDeleteIf this is the quality of Stephen Heard and his supporters then what has urbanisation got to fear.
Interesting that the comment above is anonymous! If we are going to be picky, then sentences start with capital letters and end with full stops, can't contains an apostrophe and a question is usually denoted with a question mark!
ReplyDeleteI think the main point is valid. We now have the ridiculous situation where Norfolk County Council will take the City Council to court if the incoming government does not reverse an Act of Parliament.
ReplyDeleteIts grounds, - well it seems to want the status quo. With so many twin hatters that is hardly unexpected. They do not want the gravy train to stop. Indeed they are doing the opposite and seeking the removal of restrictions on twin hatters having control in both the District and County Councils.
In the meanwhile The Chairman of South Norfolk wants joint services with other councils and chairs a cross boundary planning quango.
Broadland meanwhile have been saddled with the lions share of undesirable development and are determined to ram it down their constituents throats.
We would be better off without them