Time to look at Unitary Authority

Against the background of the £92 million budget cuts facing Warwickshire County Council, LibDems are calling for an all-party debate about how local government in the county could be better organised to give greater value for money to hard-pressed council tax payers whilst preserving vital public services.

As the Leader of Warwickshire County Council embarks on a round of conversations with the public over the savings that have to be made, LibDems say it’s time that all political parties face up to the opportunities which merging county and district/borough services under a Unitary Authority could bring.

LibDems hope that the other political groups will engage fully in this debate, which has been in the shadows for too long. The financial pressures facing the public sector are immense, and are not going to go away. The County Council is also facing a review of its electoral boundaries before the next county elections in 2017.

Our AGM heard how feedback on the doorstep confirmed that many local residents are confused about which services are provided by the different Councils that exist in the county. The public find it hard to understand the present multi-layered system and local LibDems believe that the time is right to open up the Unitary Authority question for debate.

Richard Dickson, Chairman Kenilworth & Southam Liberal Democrats