Agenda item

To consider any business which is urgent within the meaning of Section 100B(4) of the Local Government Act 1972:

DEVOLUTION AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT REORGANISATION: WHITE PAPER

(i)               That the contents and implications of the English Devolution White Paper be noted.

(ii)              That Cabinet pledges to stand up for the historic independence of the Borough.

(iii)            That Cabinet continues to work through the Staffordshire Leaders Board to develop and deliver devolution as set out in the Board’s submission to Government in September 2024.

(iv)            That the petitioning of residents in relation to the preservation of the Borough, be supported.

(v)             That Newcastle-Under-Lyme’s Members of Parliament be called upon to support the Borough’s preservation, and that they engage with Government Ministers in stating the case for the Borough.

(vi)            That the Leader & Chief Executive write to the Deputy Prime Minister and relevant Ministers stating the Council’s position.

(vii)          That a report from the Leader of the Council be submitted to Full Council on 22 January, 2025 , setting out the details of the Government’s Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation White Paper and how this Council can stand up for the independence of its Borough.

This item had been brought as a matter of urgent business due to the timescales.

The Leader introduced a report, seeking the views and agreement of Cabinet in setting out the position of the Council following the release of the English Devolution White Paper in December, 2024.

The Staffordshire Leaders’ Board had been working together on a Devolution Deal as sought by the previous Government who had asked for local authorities to come forward with proposals for their areas, to allow the devolution of powers and finances.   The new Government had put out a request for expressions of interest and in September, 2024, the Leaders’ Board - including this Council put forward an expression of interest for a Deal based on skills as outlined at paragraph 1.5 of the Cabinet report.  In addition, it was stated that a Mayor was not wanted and that the Board wanted to keep the existing boundaries of local government.

Just before Christmas it was announced that this would also include local government reorganisation and that councils should be of a minimum of 500,000 people and councils had been asked to submit proposals.

The Leader stated that this Borough had a long proud history and this Council had fought off reorganisation attempts before.  Looking at the Government figures of 500,000, a North Staffordshire came to the fore again which would be a merger with Stoke City Council and possibly Staffordshire Moorlands District Council. 

This Council did have a bid in for a Devolution Deal and the Leader stated that he would be pushing that that be reaffirmed.

The Leader proposed an additional recommendation - to submit a paper to Full Council later this month.

The Portfolio Holder for Strategic Planning stated that these were proposals that nobody had voted on and had no mandate.  In addition, it had not been in the Labour Party’s manifesto or been debated upon anywhere.  It was not devolution but drawing power upwards and therefore a centralisation programme.  Representation per council in those areas would almost half and nothing would be ‘local’ anymore.

The Deputy Leader stated that this had been presented at the Local Government Association and it had not gone down very well.  The Deputy Leader questioned how removing a layer of democracy would make things more democratic.

The Portfolio Holder for Sustainable Environment stated that Newcastle’s history traced back to 1173 and had been celebrated in 2023 with the 850^th Anniversary of the granting of a Royal Charter. 

The Portfolio Holder for Community Safety and Wellbeing stated that she was proud to be a resident of this Borough and there had been great opposition to the proposal from everyone that she had spoken with. 

The Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Culture and Heritage stated that Newcastle currently had 44 Councillors and that number could potentially drop to 12.  This would be a large drop in representation for residents.  Services such as the Borough Museum and J2 were valuable to the Borough and they could be lost with reorganisation.

The Leader stated that there was no evidence that a reorganisation would save money.  No resource implications had been put forward by the Government, no costs or timescales or what would happen with investments currently taking place such as those here in Newcastle.

This Council had already saved large amounts of money through working with its partners.  The Leader stated that this Council vowed to fight the Government’s plans to scrap this Borough and wished to see services delivered locally for its communities.

The Leader asked Cabinet members to join him in going across to the office of the  local MP and deliver a copy of the ‘Lost Charter - 850 Years of the Borough’.    

Resolved:    (i)       That the contents and implications of the English

Devolution White Paper be noted.

(ii)             That Cabinet pledges to stand up for the historic independence of the Borough.

(iii)           That Cabinet continue to work through the Staffordshire Leaders Board to develop and deliver devolution as set out in the Board’s submission to Government in September 2024.

(iv)           That the petitioning of residents in relation to the preservation of the Borough be supported.

(v)             That Newcastle-Under-Lyme’s Members of Parliament be called upon to support the Borough’s preservation, and that they engage with Government Ministers in stating the case for the Borough.

(vi)           That the Leader & Chief Executive write to the Deputy Prime Minister and relevant Ministers stating the Council’s position.

(vii)          That a report from the Leader of the Council be submitted to Full Council on 22 January, 2025 , setting out the details of the Government’s Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation White Paper and how this Council can stand up for the independence of its Borough.

Watch the debate here