Beggar's muddle, well my view of it anyway

Since the Government U turn on Norfolk elections on Monday, there's been turmoil at County Hall and beyond.

I am confused, are you? 

The prospect of Unitary councils was music to my ears. My wife and I have been interested in politics for over half a century and tried to serve at all levels, including national, county, district and town. We have seen the appalling waste of money, resources and energy consumed by the 500 + parish and town councils, the seven district councils including one city, two boroughs, and four district councils and then one very large and inclusive County council with many services duplicated and delayed by protocols and procedures.

Although geographically Norfolk is one of the largest counties, its population is less than one million and, in my opinion, has been over governed since the last local government shake up in 1974.

I guess joining up with Suffolk and sharing one elected mayor at the same time as establishing the unitary model has made the argument for unitaty more complicated. However I am convinced that it will work, that it will help our area and give us, the population of Norfolk and Suffolk, more money, autonomy and the ability to self-govern.

I really don’t mind if we have one, two, or three unitary governing bodies, although with the development of technology, less is more for me personally.

So national government has laid down that we will have unitary; they have made it clear that we will be joined with Suffolk and that if we don’t comply, we will lose out in a myriad of ways. However, they have made, in my opiniion, a 'beggars muddle' of the timing, and managed to offend a lot of people, by cancelling and then re-instating the May elections.

The leader of Norfolk County Council has decided that she will not comply and stated that they have given up on unitary with all its benefits. Now apparently, she has done what might be called a 'Trumpism' and put down this dictat without a vote, a consultation or indeed public involvement. Interestingly, I for one am not sure if she can do this as recommendations from Norfolk County Council have already been submitted to the Government and it is Government who will take the final decision, and although apparently she has the support of two Norfolk District councils, we have had no word from the government as yet.

So, as it stands, and as I see it, we are to have an election on 7th May to select the councillors for County Council that may or may not be in office for the four year term. The unitary elections may curtail this term and probably the same people, standing for county election, may stand for Unitary. I am prepared to be corrected on this!

In the meantime, possibly we may go ahead with the Mayoral Election for Norfolk and Suffolk effectively reducing the powers of this elected body in favour of one elected Mayor.

In conclusion I am writing this article in the full knowledge that hopefully it will be out of date before it goes out to the public. My dear colleague John D. now deceased would have described this whole scenario as a 'beggars muddle'. He's probably looking down and laughing.

         Richard Bird