EHDC takes new course to
ensure effective and efficient reorganisation
EHDC
will work in partnership with Hampshire County Council to develop a
financially sustainable proposal for local government
reorganisation which uses robust evidence and sound methodology to
ensure residents' needs are prioritised with efficient and
effective services.
EHDC
has been working with the 14 other local authorities in the area to
develop proposals for local government reorganisation – which will
see these existing councils replaced with a smaller number of
unitary authorities.
These
new unitary authorities will provide the same services but as part
of a national plan, they aim to be more efficient and effective.
In
March this year, the 15 authorities submitted interim plans to
central government, and have recently received feedback which
empahsises the need for a robust shared evidence base to meet
criteria. The feedback also says that each council can submit its
own proposal, which must be done by 26th September.
Cllr
Richard Millard, Leader of East Hampshire District Council, said:
“I have a clear mandate from my council to pursue an evidence-based
approach to develop a proposal for local government reorganisation.
“This
is absolutely critical because we need to robustly analyse each of
the potential options to ensure we can create efficient and
effective services for our residents.
“And
when I say ‘our residents’ I do not just mean the current residents
of East Hampshire, but all the residents in Hampshire who will be
relying on services from the new unitary councils.
“It is
our duty to get this right, to create financially resilient and
sustainable councils that can support our most vulnerable residents
– as well as providing the day-to-day services that we all rely on.
"We
remain fully committed to collaboration, transparency, and
data-sharing with our local authority partners and stakeholders. We
will now work in partnership with the County Council to develop a
truly evidence-based model for local government reorganisation.
“Our
focus is clear: delivering what’s best for residents across all our
communities and securing a financially sustainable future for the
services we provide.”
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