Views wanted on local Government reorganisation in North Yorkshire
The deadline is approaching for people in North Yorkshire to have their say on two plans for local Government reorganisation.
The deadline is approaching for people in North Yorkshire to have their say on two plans for local Government reorganisation.
It will see the current two-tier system of a County Council and District or Borough Council abolished.
To replace it, the North Yorkshire authority is wanting one unitary council to cover the entire county but York will stay as it is.
Meanwhile, six of the county's District and Borough Councils wants something different.
Steve Siddons, Leader of Scarborough Borough Council, said:
"We split the county into two - east and west. I think it's important that the people in the east of the county have different priorities and views to those on the west, and I think that needs recognising in any local government arrangements we have in the future.
"It would be a new council covering Scarborough Borough, York, Selby and Ryedale and then there would be another council covering the western side of the county, and that would give people an understandable geography as people travel backwards and forwards between York so people are familiar with that geography.
"If we went with the larger county model, that would cover the whole of the county and it's three and a half hours to get from one side of the county to the other. Not many people would be doing that on a regular basis and have an understanding of the priorities of places like Craven and Settle.
"Most businesses we've spoken to are in favour of the east and west model because they see it as representing local democracy rather than right across the county. You'll still get all the services you get now but at the moment it's spread across two separate authorities, the County and the Borough, but it will mean that there are efficiencies that can be had.
"There's a potential to save millions of pounds by bringing these four local authorities together and we'll be working hard to make sure that happens and that the money we get from central Government and from ratepayers will go into providing better services than we have now.
"I'm really concerned about the Government consultation. It's very vague and I think it's probably fair to say that many people in the area will not know that this is happening and they will not know that the consultation ends on Sunday evening this week. I would urge people to go online and look at what's being said.
"It's nearly 50 years since the last time we had a local Government reorganisation in 1974 and it's probably the only time you will get to have your say on this. The Government are talking to big businesses and large organisations but they're not talking to individuals and every person in this borough has a right to have their views known."
You can find out more about the consultation here: https://consult.communities.gov.uk/governance-reform-and-democracy/northyorkshire/ and you can have your say here: https://consult.communities.gov.uk/governance-reform-and-democracy/northyorkshire/consultation/