BCP Council considers creating new level of government
BCP Council is carrying out a community governance review, the first since it was created in 2019.Options include creating new councils or merging, altering or abolishing existing parishes.Councillor Mike Cox, deputy council leader and an elected member on Christchurch town council, said he had seen the benefit of community councils. "We've been able to take over facilities like the Quomps splash park, which faced closure by BCP council due to its budget pressures," he said. He said grass cutting and maintenance of green spaces was now being carried out at less cost by the town council.A campaign for a Southbourne community council has been backed by Richard Renaut, a local resident.He said: "Sadly councils are making tough decisions to stop events and close facilities and a community council would mean we could step in and fill that gap to keep these things which make our area special."
But Jenny Ayling, who also lives in Southbourne, raised concerns about the idea.She said: "We don't know how much this will cost residents, the tax can be raised every year and is not capped. "Many people can't afford it and they're already paying the council for these services."Steve Hayes, from Oakdale in Poole, agreed and pointed out the individual borough councils were scrapped only six years ago in a huge reorganisation."Now they want Poole town and Bournemouth town and Broadstone and Redhill and Boscombe to have councils?" he said."Surely it's reversing all the efficiencies of the last reorganisation? Adding in the extra layer of government and elections to them will be very expensive."The consultation runs until 22 June.Consultation responses will be analysed before a recommendation goes before cabinet in October.
You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Powys County Times
a day ago
- Powys County Times
Powys MS given new role after Reform's Royal Welsh Show news
Powys MS James Evans has taken on a new role in the Conservatives' Welsh Government shadow cabinet following another MS's defection to Reform. Nigel Farage used an appearance at the Royal Welsh Show on Tuesday that Laura Anne Jones had crossed the floor to join Reform UK. Now Brecon and Radnorshire MS James Evans has been awarded the Armed Forces brief that she previously occupied. It means he is now the Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health, Social Care and the Armed Forces. Welsh Conservative leader Darren Millar MS also announced that Joel James will become the new Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Local Government and Housing, and Natasha Asghar is is taking on a wider portfolio and becomes the Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Children, Young People and Education. The Local Government and Housing portfolios were also part of Ms Jones' brief before she defected to Reform. Ms Ashgar was previously in charge of education for the Shadow Cabinet, and takes on the roles previously occupied by Mr James. Mr Evans has previously denied reports that he was set to defect to Reform, calling the claims "simply not true". Mr Millar said: "I am pleased to announce today's changes to my Shadow Cabinet team. "The Welsh Conservatives are the only credible alternative to the failing Labour Government here in Wales, and we are the only conservative party that will be on the ballot paper in the Senedd elections next May. "After 26 years of devolution under Labour, our country is broken, only the Welsh Conservatives will fix Wales." The full Conservative shadow cabinet in Wales. Leader of the Opposition - Darren Millar MS Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Chief Whip and Shadow Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution - Paul Davies MS Shadow Cabinet Secretary for, Children, Young People and Education - Natasha Asghar MS Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism, Sport and North Wales - Gareth Davies MS Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health, Social Care and the Armed Forces- James Evans MS Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Environment - Janet Finch-Saunders MS Shadow Counsel General, and Shadow Secretary for Delivery, External Affairs and Welsh Language – Tom Giffard MS Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Equalities and Social Justice - Altaf Hussain MS Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Local Government and Housing – Joel James MS Shadow Cabinet Secretary for the Economy, Energy and Rural Affairs - Samuel Kurtz MS
BBC News
a day ago
- BBC News
New Forest District Council to spend £500k on restructure plans
A council has earmarked an additional £350,000 on planning for local government part of the restructuring of local government, New Forest District Council is backing a proposal that would see it form part of a new Mid-Hampshire unitary Conservative-run authority said a total of £500,000 was "required to support the council's work" as part of the councillors said it was a "pay day" for consultants. The restructuring of local government will see district and borough councils scrapped and the creation of new unitary options have been proposed for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, with the New Forest District Council preferring to combine with Test Valley, East Hampshire, and Davis, Liberal Democrat ward councillor for Pennington, told a meeting of the council that funds should directly benefit residents."We are being sucked into having an argument when we could be focusing on our residents."Consultancies were having a pay day," he added,Jeremy Heron, portfolio holder for finance and corporate, defended the financial planning. "We are not squirreling money away, but we do carry out prudent and manageable reserves."The Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) reserve fund is not a huge reserve."A council spokesperson said: "The council's devolution and LGR reserve is intended for one-off expenditure that is required to support the council's work in this area."It includes specific commissions such as consultants and engagement work but also fixed-term resources."Of the funds already allocated, £32,534 has been spent so included £6,333 contributed to a joint effort with 12 other councils to develop a case for government. The funding part pays for work with consultancy firm KPMG. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
2 days ago
- BBC News
Leader defends Norfolk council plan during heated debate
Proposals to scrap eight councils and replace them with only one have been defended by a council Kay Mason Billig – who leads Norfolk County Council – insisted the idea "saves the most money" while maintaining plan has put the council at odds with the district authorities in Norfolk who have said a reorganisation of local government should see the county run by either two or three Steve Morphew said there had been a lack of debate on the proposals and the "public deserve to hear a proper full discussion". Since the government announced its devolution plans last year – which will see the current county and seven district councils scrapped - local authorities in Norfolk have drawn up their proposals for how it should be run in the county council favours one authority covering the entire county while six of the district councils favour the idea of three. South Norfolk Council has said two would be proposals must be submitted by September, with the government due to decide on its favoured option after that. Arguing that smaller councils would struggle financially, Mason Billig told a meeting of the full county council that "all angles" had been looked at and a "wide range of data" had been reviewed: "A single county unitary saves the most money, is cheaper to run and avoids fragmentation of services."But opponents say one large authority would be too remote from the people it is supposed to put forward a motion calling for the single council idea to be dropped, and more work to be done with the group leader, Morphew, also said there had been a lack of discussion."This is probably the biggest issue that we've been dealing with for quite some time, and it's a shame we've only got this opportunity to discuss it in public.."Let's go have a look at alternatives." He was backed by the Liberal Democrat group leader Brian Watkins, who said it was "deeply regrettable that so little progress has been made in coming together with the districts to find common ground"."The council's position is becoming a bit like Custer's last stand – a last, desperate attempt to cling on to the reins of power," he Green's Catherine Rowett said she feared that, however the reorganisation worked out, further cuts to local government funding would be on the horizon and that none of the options would "deliver a substantial improvement to life in Norfolk"."It's clear that major reorganisation never actually saves money and valued staff who make our services run will be looking to leave during a period of uncertainty." Reform UK's Julian Kirk – who also serves as a borough councillor in west Norfolk – said none of his constituents wanted a single unitary authority: "It's difficult to get across to them that Norfolk County Council actually works for them – their first point of call is always the borough council."Labour's motion was defeated – and the Conservatives – with their majority, agreed to further develop the plan for a single Billig said she regularly discussed local government reorganisation with the other council leaders and there had been a public consultation on the she warned the tight timeline set by ministers "would make it irresponsible to delay a decision when Norfolk got to present a credible, coherent alternative to central government". Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
