"This is a pivotal moment for the formation of new flagship unitary authorities, where the delivery of better services, leadership, savings and greater involvement of local people takes centre stage"
John Healey, Local Government Minister
London: New unitary councils in Cornwall, County Durham, Northumberland, Shropshire and Wiltshire have now received Parliamentary approval, according to an announcement today by the Department for Communities and LocalGovernemnt (DCLG).
DCLG says that in each area all the councils and their partners now need to work together effectively and constructively to achieve the transformational change, and to fully realise the economic, social and environmental benefits.
The new councils will need to make major changes to the way that municipal wastes are managed as the waste disposal authority (WDA) and waste collection authorities (WCAs) will now come under a single umbrella. However WDAs and WCAs, in general, have been working in partnership for some time and the transitional arrangements at the councils involved will have already been worked through.
Difficulties may come for staffing at middle and senior management levels, as in due course it seems likely that the unitary authorities will attempt to rationalise the situation, particularly where there are overlapping responsibilities. The number of councils in these areas will be reduced from 33 to just five.
A Durham household waste recycling centre
Locally led implementation executives comprising councillors from the county and all district councils and including representation from all the main political parties are already working on the implementation of the new authorities, including arrangements for staff, who will transfer with the protections of the TUPE regulations.
The new-style unitary councils are intended to develop ways to empower local communities, to improve services, and to promote prosperity across the five counties, according to the DCLG.
The new councils are expected to in total save over £75m each year that can be directly invested into improving frontline services. Alternatively savings could be used to lower council tax bills for 2.1 million people.
All councils will be fully established from 1 April 2009. Elections to the new councils will take place in May this year in Northumberland and County Durham, and May next year in Shropshire, Wiltshire and Cornwall.
Local Government Minister
Local Government Minister John Healey said:
"This is a pivotal moment for the formation of new flagship unitary authorities, where the delivery of better services, leadership, savings and greater involvement of local people takes centre stage. Now it is time to move on from past debates and discussions about restructuring.
"This is inevitably an unsettling time but I expect all authorities involved to lend their weight now to delivery through their locally led implementation executives, and the Government will do all we can to support that process.
"I made my commitment clear during the Parliamentary debates that staff will transfer to new authorities with the protections of the TUPE regulations. I also intend to require all chief executive appointments to be subject to open competition, and I expect most other senior appointments to be open to re-recruitment and competition too."
Two unitary Cheshire
Proposals for a two-unitary Cheshire have been debated in Parliament today and approval is expected shortly. The Government intends to make final decisions on Bedfordshire shortly following the invitation in December for further proposals. In Norwich, Ipswich and Exeter the Boundary Committee have been asked to advise on whether there are alternative unitary proposals by the end of this year.