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Ref: 293/07 25 July 2007
Government’s Conditional Recommendation To Partition County ‘Worst Choice For People Of Cheshire’ – Say County Leaders.
It is impossible to understand why the Government is even considering splitting Cheshire – the worst scenario for its residents in terms of costs and disruption to excellent services.
That was today’s (Wednesday) reaction of county council leader Paul Findlow to news of the Government’s White Paper conditional recommendation.
Said the Leader: “We believe that this option – no longer even supported by the new administration of Chester City Council one of its original proponents - palpably fails to meet the Government’s own criteria of affordability, value for money service delivery, leadership or stakeholder support."
"We will be asking for a comprehensive justification from Whitehall before considering our next steps."
The Tory leader who personally supported an improved Two-tier system, stressed that the Government has admitted that there are risks to the original then Lib Dem controlled Chester City Council submission in relation to achieving outcomes specified by the affordability criterion.
“Whitehall has asked the authorities concerned to undertake further work and submit additional information on the financial viability of their proposals before taking a final decision”, said Councillor Findlow.
Lib Dem Leader Sue Proctor said: “Whilst it seems that the Government has yet to come to any definite conclusion, the very suggestion of partitioning Cheshire leaves me appalled. It is the worst possible situation for the people of Cheshire and the services they currently receive.”
“If such a decision was to be implemented those services would have to be divided between two separate councils with all the disruption and extra cost that that would entail”
“Obviously we will be looking at the government’s reasoning very closely indeed”.
“But in the meantime I can assure the people of Cheshire that this authority will continue to work in their very best interests – as it has done for the past 118 years”.
In its submission to Government Cheshire County Council estimated the transitional costs of setting up two unitary councils at £32.8 million and the ongoing costs at £0.8 million a year.
Note to Editors: For further information please contact Councillor Paul Findlow on 01625 828004, Councillor Sue Proctor on 01244 335943 or Ian Callister, Media Relations Manager on 01244 602218. |