| Published | 7 November 2008 |
|---|
Local Government Minister John Healey yesterday took a major step to put in place the transitional arrangements necessary to ensure that the nine new unitary councils being created for Bedford Borough, Central Bedfordshire, Cheshire East, Cheshire West & Chester, Cornwall, County Durham, Northumberland, Shropshire and Wiltshire will be fully up and running from 1 April 2009.
The regulations laid before Parliament yesterday will ensure the continuity of council business through the transition from the old two-tier structures to the new unitary councils. To ensure a smooth transition, they provide for the early transfer of key responsibilities on elections, housing, town and country planning, and schools to the new successor unitary councils in advance of April 2009.
They will also ensure that the councils due to have elections shortly after they become unitary authorities are still able to effectively make important local decisions on licensing and planning applications until the new councillors are in place.
To ensure that decision making continues to run smoothly in these councils, their Implementation Executive will appoint Members of predecessor councils to regulatory committees for local licensing and planning.These councillors will have expertise from their previous roles in making these decisions or be an active member of the Implementation Executive for the new authority.
John Healey said:
"The Teams in Bedford, Cheshire, Cornwall, County Durham, Northumberland, Shropshire and Wiltshire are well on their way to delivering a seamless transition to new, fully operational unitary councils by 1 April 2009.
"I am confident that these regulations will give them the opportunity to achieve, the benefits that unitary status can bring - improved local services, greater efficiency, more empowered communities, savings of over £100m, and stronger local leadership to promote the economic success of the area."
1. The Local Government (Structural Changes) (Transitional Arrangements)(No.2) Regulations were laid before Parliament on 6 November 2008 and, subject to Parliamentary approval, are expected to come into force on 28 November 2008.
2. The regulations transfer responsibility to the new councils for, among other matters: continuity of services, electoral matters, plans, schemes, statements and strategies, membership of certain licensing and planning committees, town and country planning and Education.
3. 1 April 2009 will see the establishment of new unitary councils in seven counties across England. In Cornwall, Shropshire and Wiltshire however, councillors to the new authorities will not be elected until a number of weeks later.
4. These councils will be able to co-opt onto their planning and licensing committees, pending the elections, members with the relevant planning and licensing experience from the outgoing councils.This will ensure that planning and licensing services continue to be delivered effectively throughout the transition.
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