Local democracy may be threatened by the potential loss of 90 percent of councillors in shire areas due to local government reorganisation, according to an essay published by Localis today.
The think-tank’s new ideas paper, titled “Reorganisation, local government and the future of English Devolution,” was written by emeritus professors of local government Colin Copus and Steve Leach.
According to the authors, if new unitary authorities in two-tier areas have populations of half-a-million, the number of councillors will decrease from 12,000 to 1,200. This would result in considerable strain and unsustainable workloads for remaining councillors.
The essay explores the constitutional implications of the government’s directive for local government to reorganise in county/district areas, as well as the political context for the English Devolution White Paper released in December 2024.
Copus and Leach raise concerns about the arguments and justifications behind the white paper, and identify major issues including the role of local government in the constitutional system, the lack of substance and justification for Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), and inconsistencies in the potential impact of the white paper throughout England.
They also question the discrepancies between England and other European countries in terms of the size, composition, and justification for local authorities, as well as the long-term policy agenda of Whitehall, which they argue has consistently sought opportunities for reorganisation.
Commenting on the findings of the essay, Localis visiting fellow Professor Colin Copus said, “As the government proceeds with an unnecessary, expensive and distracting reorganisation, we will see another drastic reduction in councillor numbers. This isn’t a virtue of reorganisation, it’s a hollowing-out of local democracy and a reduction in opportunities for citizens to get involved in local self-government.”
Emeritus Professor Steve Leach added, “Local government will become less and less local, and areas that have been used to their own elected council will be subsumed into meaningless conglomerates that will make no sense as units of local government and even less sense to local people.”
Localis chief executive Jonathan Werran said that the essay is the first in Localis’s new series of “Other Ideas,” which invites guest writers to comment on topical place issues and policies.
He also highlighted the potential impacts of LGR in terms of local political economy, neighborhood services, and the constitutional and democratic implications of removing nine-out-of-ten councillors in shires.
Press enquiries:
Jonathan Werran, chief executive, Localis
(Telephone) 0870 448 1530 / (Mobile) 07967 100328 / (Email) jonathan.werran@localis.org.uk
Notes to Editors:
About Localis:
Localis is an independent think-tank dedicated to issues related to politics, public service reform and localism. They carry out innovative research, hold events, and facilitate a growing network of members to stimulate and challenge the current governance of the UK.
The essay can be accessed here.
“Reorganisation, local government and the future of English Devolution”
The essay will be debated on Wednesday 25th June in a policy webinar featuring speakers such as Professor Colin Copus, Emeritus Professor Local Government, Localis Visiting Fellow, and Cllr Marianne Overton, chair of the LGA Independent Group.
About Professor Colin Copus:
Colin Copus is an Emeritus Professor of local politics at De Montfort University and a Visiting Professor at the University of Ghent. His academic interests include central-local relationships, devolution, localism, local party politics, and the changing role of the councillor. He has also served as a councillor on various local councils and is an advisor to government and local government bodies.
Distributed by https://pressat.co.uk/
