Local Government Review in Hampshire - TrustNews Summer 1993
Harvey Cole Deputy Leader Hampshire County Council, describes the main structure of the Review.
Over the next three years a comprehensive review of local government functions is being carried out across the country by a Commission appointed for the purpose by the Government. It is working through all the existing counties in a series of groupings. The first batch included Avon, Cleveland, Durham and Derbyshire.
Hampshire is in the second group and on September 27th, commissioners will arrive to carry out their investigations. The County Council and the 13 District Councils in the County will than have until December 10th to make their submissions indicating how they feel local government can best be organised for the future in the County.
With a population of over 1.5 million, Hampshire is the largest county in England. Responsibility for the provision of services is divided between the County and the District Councils (with Parish and Town Councils also undertaking some local functions).
The County deals with education, personal social services, police and fire services. trading standards, libraries, rights of way, registration of births, marriages and deaths, and strategic transport. minerals and waste planning. The Districts are responsible for housing, environmental health, cemeteries and crematoria, allotments, electoral registration and council tax collection, while some responsibilities are shared - e.g. refuse disposal, recreation and the arts, highway repairs and maintenance. The Districts also deal with local planning matters and act as the agent of the County Council in actually carrying out some of the work for which it is responsible.
One of the main problems of this existing division of functions is that people are not clear which authority does what: who is supposed to repair potholes. put new bulbs in street lights, maintain school premises. control traffic or keep grass verges tidy?
The main objective of the Review is to try and produce a structure for local government which:
- reflects community interests and identity:
- offers democratic accountability for services
- produces effective and convenient administration.
The structure that emerges is likely to be largely made up of so called 'unitary' authorities - which would be responsible for virtually all services provided in their area. While this would be clear and simple, one of the main problems is that the size of the unit required for efficient administration varies form one function to another: economic police and fire services need a much larger population than refuse collection.
While politicians are perhaps more concerned with how Hampshire might be carved up by new areas and boundaries, discussion should be concentrated on delivering the most effective pattern of services - with new authorities and new boundaries being determined by this criterion.
So far the Commission has recommended a variety of different solutions in other places, and there is clearly no single preferred pattern. Between now and December the County Council will be analysing the merits of all potential structures - from a single authority for the whole County, through separating off Southampton and Portsmouth and dividing the rest of the county into one or more unitary authorities. It will be important to ensure that the 14 authorities consult closely and agree as closely as possible on the best outcome for Hampshire: change will mean both extra costs and possible economics, and we will need to maximise the latter.
For Winchester, now the administrative headquarters for the whole County, the prospective gains and losses from various solutions are probably greater than anywhere else. Over the next few months the County Council will be mounting an unprecedented consultation exercise so that all organisations and individuals have an opportunity to make their views and preferences clear.
David Cowan, Chief Executive Winchester City Council will speak on the Local Government Review at the AGM on 8 November.