Page 16 - Town & Around - February 2025

16 Town & Around February 2025 Tel: 01485 540620 email: editor@townandaround.net
Borough Council news

Cllr Terry Parish, Heacham Ward which includes Sedgeford and Fring

he government is committed to dictatorial state run by self-centred despots so
extended devolution of powers to local has Norfolk sunk so low? It will be supported
Tauthorities and to local government by a government anxious to push through
reorganisation. This has become a time- reorganisation without pause for thought and
consuming issue at the Council as what it minimal time for any consultation. Planned
means is the ending of District Councils, County elections should go ahead and
including the Borough Council of King’s candidates given the opportunity to say what
Lynn and West Norfolk, within 2, possibly 3, they will do to ensure the changes dictated by don’t ask the public if you don’t want an
years. The functions of both County and government improve the lot of the electorate answer you don’t want.
District Councils will be subsumed into rather than pasting over the very wide cracks Interestingly, the proposal to give Kings
Unitary Authority(s). There are several in local government provision. Lynn a Town Council is being revisited. It
models currently in the air, a single unitary I am in favour of single tier authorities of remains in the Council’s corporate plan where
composing all of Norfolk; two unitaries the right geographical scale, one council to I put it in autumn 2023 but was left ‘until
splitting Norfolk from North to south with a serve all local functions rather than bucks later’ due in part to significant resistance from
combined West Norfolk, Breckland and North passing between County and Districts and the the Conservative Group at the time and
Norfolk suggested to encompass us; three public left bemused. I am not in favour of a surprising reluctance from the Labour Group.
unitaries as an outsider (population of a Norfolk wide unitary which will just replace Now, with unitary raising its head, it has been
unitary has to be around half a million County with County with too little local realised that both West Norfolk’s resources
minimum and Norfolk hasn’t got 1.5 million representation. and heritage might be at risk and a Town
people though, with the inane housing A suitable unitary should make more Council for King’s Lynn is likely
development proposed, it could have I efficient use of the public money available advantageous. Watch this space.
suppose). now though I will believe that when it As the story quickly unfolds, I will add
Whatever option wins the day, the two-tier happens and additional money will be needed detail though you will find plenty in the press.
system in Norfolk, County and Districts, will from Government too. It will reduce the If you find such political changes akin to
end. Will the public have any say in the number of councillors and, consequently, their reorganising deck chairs whilst the ship sinks,
matter? A token approach only, even District financial cost to the public should be less. please tell your MP. Also give them your
Councils have little say. For example, Norfolk However, each new councillor will have a opinion of cancelling scheduled elections. You
County Council could have chosen not to join large area to cover so will likely get a bigger should tell your County Cllrs that too. They
the Devolution Priority Programme (though allowance. A councillor could become a full- voted 51 to 7 to stop elections this May. A
there are some possible good reasons to do so) time job and so prevent those who work and senior councillor in Cabinet was removed
and, therefore, not voted to delay County have useful current skills and experience from from his position because he put constituents
elections due this May 2025. They have so becoming councillors. before party. Putin might like to retire here.
voted and such elections will not go ahead. There is another consideration. February is budget setting month for the
Leaders of District Councils and certainly the Reorganisation requires an elected mayor who BC. Finances remain tight and plans to
current Leader of BCKLWN did want those will be given all sorts of powers including manage them began a year ago prior to the
elections delayed as it is not in the interest of gainsaying decisions made by elected new government’s decisions about devolution
democracy. councillors. Elected mayors have been offered and local government reorganisation. It will
I consider stopping or interfering with in Norfolk before and the public refused them. be interesting to see if this change in direction
elections is something expected of a That’s why public consultation will be thin; affects how the budget is realised.
The new Chief Executive Officer, Kate Blakemore, and Leader of the Borough Council, Alastair Beales,
are visiting Heacham to introduce themselves and take questions, on Thursday 13th February.
Venue is The Old Friends Hall, Sunnyside, PE31 7DU. Time is 10.45am until 12.15pm.

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