Government defends council shake-up after council leader calls plans ‘delusional’
Portsmouth leader says ministers ‘haven’t made their case’ for LGR
The government has defended its proposed council shake-up after Portsmouth council leader described the plans as “delusional”.
Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) aims to replace the current two tier system, where county and district councils share services, with larger unitary authorities that deliver all local services.
The government says the aim is to simplify services, reduce duplication and create councils that better reflect local economies and housing needs.
Critics argue the process has been unclear, could end up costing more than it saves, and does little to address the financial pressures facing many councils.
Councillor Steve Pitt, leader of the council, said ministers “haven’t made their case” for LGR.
“In order to be forced to do something i think is the wrong thing i need to understand what the rationale is behind it and there isn’t one.
“They’ve never made the right case for LGR in the way that they are doing it.”
Under the proposals, Portsmouth would merge with Gosport, Fareham and Havant to form a larger council area known as South East Hampshire.
He also raised concerns about the financial position of the new authority, pointing to a projected £67m deficit inherited in part from Hampshire County Council’s budget shortfall.
He added the government has made it “absolutely clear that there will be no new money – they expect us to make efficiencies on a scale that is completely unachievable.
He said being forced into a position “where we would have to cut services is just fundamentally unjust which is why we have to keep pushing them to say no.”
He also said the “entire Labour government since they came into office has been run by the treasury” and described it as “delusional” to think LGR would put local government on a stable financial footing.
In response, a Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: “This government is undertaking the biggest reform of local government in a generation, ending the two-tier system and replacing it with new single-tier unitary councils.
“These new councils create a more sensible footprint for planning and public services. They’ll be better able to support new house building and help drive economic growth across key cities like Portsmouth.”
The department also said councils remain responsible for managing their budgets, and that no proposal is being made to write off debt as part of the changes.