Caption: Jim McMahon may do well to pay heed to the experience of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council
The Government is drawing up plans for the biggest shake up in government since 1974.
“Dozens” of county councils are to be merged with their districts to form new unitary authorities under plans being fronted by Jim McMahon MP, Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution and former Leader of Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council from 2011 to 2016.
The Government’s thinking is that two-tier councils are inefficient and expensive, and that District Councils beneath them are barriers to growth by too often refusing planning applications.
More Metro Mayors are to be rolled out across the country with every region having its own devolution deal in a drive for greater accountability and growth. Perhaps linked to this, LabourList has also today revealed plans by the Labour Party leadership to impose more central party control over Labour Metro Mayors.
Many of us involved in the weird and wonderful world of local government politics will welcome some of these plans as a progressive step towards a greater level of professionality and accountability in local politics – as well as a more positive environment for housebuilders.
Politically, however, the Government can expect opposition at both local and national level. The Conservative Governments of Cameron and Johnson both pushed for more Metro Mayors and local authority merges in an effort to cut costs and increase delivery. The fact that Robert Jenryck was an enthusiast for this approach, however, may mean that Kemi Badenoch may decide that opposition is the best course of actions, especially as she has previously sought to get Conservatives Councillors on her side.
At the local level, Labour will also see opposition. Many councillors will be against the concept of larger authorities on the ground that they are less democratic and lead to more divisions in the council chamber. Planning committees representing different constituent parts of the same new unitary authorities can also fall into the habit of seeking to push development onto other parts of the new council area, away from their own heartlands.
The example of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council is enlightening here.
BCP became a unitary authority in 2019, and in the first four years saw the rise of small independent parties promoting themselves as the representatives of the different constituent parts of the new local authority area – seeking to represent rate-payers unhappy with the newly merged local authorities and fearful about losing out to their neighbours.
Although the Conservatives held the most seats at the 2019 inaugural election, many of the smaller parties joined with the Liberal Democrats under Cllr Vikki Slade to form an administration – the 'Unity Alliance'. Just over a year later, following some defections and deaths of sitting councillors, the Conservatives found themselves in control of the council with tacit agreement of UKIP and some of the other parties, although in 2021 and 2022 they first gained and then lost their majority following even more defections.
Finally, following the 2023 election, Vikki Slade and the Liberal Democrats formed a further coalition – the "Three Towns Alliance” with the Christchurch Independents, Poole People Party and The Bournemouth Independent Group. So far, this coalition has held but Vikki Slade’s election as an MP in July has robbed the council of a Leader experienced at forming and managing the different parties.
To politicos this all sounds rather exciting, but residents in the new local authority have seen multiple financial scandals and council funds wasted. BCP has also been ranked number 39 in the list of 50 councils with the lowest planning application approval rates in the year to June 2024 with only 78% of over 2,000 applications approved in 2023-24.
Now, BCP’s experience doesn’t by any means suggest that it will be replicated across the country, but it does go to show the political problems that may come from this policy that Labour will have to guard against.