Page 17 - Town & Around - February 2025

Tel: 01485 540620 email: editor@townandaround.net Town & Around February 2025 17

Bossy-Boot Government Wipes Out Local Democracy
County Councillor Alexandra Kemp
County Division: Clenchwarton and King’s Lynn South. Landline: 01553 630329 Mobile: 07920 286636
hile everyone was Norfolk County Council wants just one Unitary in
looking forward to Christmas Turkey, the Norfolk, but the Conservatives running County tried to
WLabour Government rushed out a startling build an Incinerator in West Norfolk a decade ago and
White Paper on ‘Devolution’, just before Christmas. we all had to campaign to stop it.
A more accurate title would be " Bossy-Boot So, a County Council takeover could not be trusted
Government Wipes Out Local Democracy", because it either.
heralds the abolition, yes, abolition, of all Borough Labour says it wants local decisions made close to
Councils, and County Councils, replacing them with their community, but abolishing Lynn Borough Council
just one or two Super Councils – ‘Unitaries’. (Except that represents 150, 000 residents, would leave Lynn
if you can successfully make out the case that your with no local government at all. This is handing power
Council should stay.) away from communities.
Watch out for the Consultation and please have your Replacing our Borough Councils for just one or two
say. Govt also wants a new layer of government, a ‘Unitary’ Councils across Norfolk, each representing
Strategic Mayoral Authority and Elected Mayor for around 500,000 residents, would make Local
Norfolk and Suffolk, with sweeping new powers, like Government distant. Norfolk is too large, with too
regional government in China. Suffolk is a lovely County but does not dispersed a population and poor public transport, for Super Councils.
align geographically or economically with Norfolk. Would there even be a Planning Committee in West Norfolk anymore,
But Government has just doubled West Norfolk's housing targets, that residents could speak at? An Ejected Mayor, sorry that was the
having reduced the numbers of homes it expects London to build. Predictive Text, an Elected Mayor, might not understand Norfolk's
This Elected Mayor would identify priority housing sites, have need. Bristol recently voted to abolish their Elected Mayor.
powers of compulsory purchase, set up a Mayoral Development The White Paper says local authorities should be trusted to make
Corporation (even if the Local Planning Authority objects) control decisions about their local areas. Abolishing them is not trusting them.
budgets for regeneration, housing, transport and skills. Oh. and could County Councillors are elected every 4 years and would be
also become Police and Crime Commissioner, chair the Local NHS undemocratic to postpone the elections, disrespectful to box Councils
Integrated Care Board, and take over the Fire Rescue Service. into joining the Devolution Programme.
Far too much power for one person, definitely not right for a County Minister of State for Housing and Local Communities is
the size and breadth of Norfolk. What attention could West Norfolk jim.mcmahon.mp@parliament.uk. Jim represents Oldham in Greater
expect from this exalted individual? Much less than from our local Manchester, but Norfolk is not a metropolitan area with the good public
Borough Council located and rooted in the community. transport Manchester has. The Government should focus on a new
The Elected Mayor could put a Mayoral Levy on the Council Tax, a settlement for Social Care to complement the 10-year NHS Settlement
Business Levy on businesses, and a Mayoral Levy on the Community and leave local democracy in Norfolk, local.
Infrastructure Levy.
43% of our current Borough Council Tax goes to the Internal
Drainage Boards to stop the Fens flooding. A budget reset by a novice
Mayor ignoring local need, will heighten local flood risk.
Yes, the same Elected Mayor and Mayoral Combined Authority idea,
that the Norfolk public wisely rejected in the Consultation in 2016, is
back. But this time, the Government wants to fast- forward change and
has forced Councils' hand to, if you pardon the expression, make
turkeys vote for Christmas.
The Government told Councils if they don't apply to join the
Government Devolution Priority Scheme for an Elected Mayoral
Authority by 10 January - which could mean this year's County
Council Elections postponed for 2 years- they could get ‘Devolution
by Default’, that is reorganisation with no say in the matter. So, Norfolk
County Council called an Extraordinary General Meeting on 9 January.
I voted against joining the Devolution Scheme and against cancelling
this May's County Elections, as it is wrong for Norfolk and
undemocratic, but the majority of County Councillors voted for it.
1,000 years of local government in Norfolk that evolved in the
market towns, creating real economic growth, locally focused, could
be abolished within two years. The Government is so wrong to
centralise and call it Devolution.
Norfolk Residents specifically objected to the Elected Mayoral Role
in 2016, as people thought it puts too much power in the hands of one
person and would lead to remote local government.
In 2016, I pointed out the Mayoral Combined Authority would cost
the County, when it could not afford to run vital services; that Norfolk
County Council would lose control of Transport and the Fire Rescue
Service; and Norfolk could lose its assets, as the Mayor could apply
proceeds of sale of Norfolk's public assets, to Suffolk. This shambles
was voted down in 2016.
Why should Norfolk Taxpayers and Pensioners who have lost the
Winter Fuel Allowance, have to fork out for an Elected Mayor and
Mayoral Council?
But the Conservatives running Norfolk County Council has allocated
£250,000 to ‘Devolution’ this year, while switching off West Norfolk
streetlights that provide safety on major local roads and industrial
estates and closing a good West Norfolk Care Home.