Issue - meetings

Councillor Isobel Seccombe, Leader, noted that the government had published the ‘English Devolution White Paper’ on 16 December 2024 which focussed on the delivery of devolution and local government reform including the creation of new unitary councils.  Subsequently, the Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution had written to upper tier councils regarding the potential to  postpone May 2025 county council elections for those councils where the timing of elections would affect implementation of the White Paper proposals.  The report before the Leader set out the options to respond and recommended a proactive and positive response.

Councillor Seccombe welcomed registered public speakers to the meeting and called each to make their address in the order of registration. 

Councillor George Cowcher, Deputy Leader of Stratford-on-Avon District Council noted the importance of the decision being made since this was the first significant change proposed to local government for 50 years.  He understood the reasoning for the preferred option but raised some questions for consideration in the decision making:

• Whilst he appreciated the short time scales involved, he was concerned there had been no meaningful consultation with other councils.  Despite the short-timescales there had been significant consultation in Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire. 
• What consideration had been given to other options, for example the option of having two unitary councils as he did not see significant commonality of interests between the south and north of the county.
• He recognised aspirations to join West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), and opposed this aim, also noting that Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, had gone on record to say he was not interested in seeing a change to WMCA boundaries.  If membership to WMCA was rejected, what was the Plan B as it was clear the new unitary authority would need to be part of a strategic authority.
• He noted social care was the biggest call on the county’s budget and he considered putting a structure in place before the outcome of the upcoming social care review did not seem prudent.
• He also considered it was essential that elections in May 2025 continued as planned.  He pointed out that the political landscape had changed since 2021 and it was important to ensure that the county council reflected the up to date views of residents in the area.

Councillor Isabelle McKenzie of Rugby Borough Council (but speaking in her capacity as an interested person), expressed the view that Rugby was forgotten in Warwickshire, not being a part of the north, south or east.  She feared the town would be even more marginalised after the proposed reorganisation, particularly as there was not a town council in place, and unless steps were taken to correct this through the re-organisation, the town would lose its voice.  She highlighted the challenges in the borough, including town centre regeneration and her fears that funds set aside for this would be swallowed by budgetary demands relating to social care and special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).  She pointed out that other areas  ...  view the full minutes text for item 1