The leader of North Yorkshire County Council has claimed the region could cope with a major shake-up of local government during its battle with the coronavirus pandemic – despite warnings that it could not have come at a worse time.
Councillor Carl Les and the region’s seven other local leaders were instructed by the government in July to come up with plans for a reorganisation of councils which they were told would be “integral” to get a devolution deal over the line.
However, speculation has now emerged that ministers are deeply concerned that the planned shake-up could only cause more disruption for frontline council services already stretched to their limits during the Covid-19 outbreak.
The worries are so much so that North Yorkshire’s district and borough council leaders have made a plea to the Prime Minister for the restructuring plans to be scrapped altogether, whilst allowing devolution to go-ahead.
But county council leader Carl Les has insisted the region is well-placed to cope with the pressures and warned it risked being left with a “watered down” deal – or no deal at all – without reorganisation.
He said: “We maintain that what’s needed, now more than ever, is the strongest possible devolution deal for the 800,000 people who live in York and North Yorkshire.
“Only the full benefits without delay will supercharge the economy and support businesses here, as they strive to recover from the body blow dealt by the pandemic.
“Government has been clear that the ask of local government here, to be eligible for this full devolution deal, is to get rid of the current two tier system of districts and county, ahead of being able to reap the benefits of a full mayoral combined authority.
“We need to move forward with this now.”
The region’s district and borough leaders – including Harrogate’s Richard Cooper – have urged the government to allow devolution without the current two-tier local government set-up being replaced with a unitary authority.
Councillor Cooper said he has always opposed the issues of devolution and local government reorganisation being taken together, and that ministers could now be reconsidering their demands.
He said: “I have never thought that linking re-organisation of local government in North Yorkshire with devolution – getting more powers from Westminster to exercise locally – was a good idea. The two issues are separate. That is why I was disappointed when the government linked the two together. Now it looks as though the government may be reconsidering that link.
“It is more important to get this change right than to get it quick. Most local government reorganisation takes years of planning, consultation and preparation.
“Trying to rush it through at breakneck speed may not give us the best outcome.”
It is understood that a meeting is taking place today, Tuesday, between Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Local Government Secretary Robert Jenrick to decide on the next steps.
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