Latest news with #BrecklandDistrictCouncil
BBC News
05-03-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Report says single-council option for Norfolk could save millions
Scrapping Norfolk's district, borough and city councils and replacing them with one large authority could save £29m a year, a report was prepared for Norfolk County Council, with local authorities given until later this month to submit their initial proposals for how local government reorganisation might report suggests that reducing staff numbers and combining services would save money and improve an alternative report prepared for the seven smaller councils argues that three authorities covering the county would offer better engagement with local people. All the local authorities have been invited to put forward their proposals as part of a planned devolution deal announced by the will see existing councils abolished and replaced by new authorities, with a mayor overseeing Norfolk and Suffolk. The report prepared for Norfolk County Council offers three options but appears to favour the council effectively continuing as one authority responsible for the entire with up to £29m in annual savings, it suggests efficiencies could be made in areas such as planning and waste collection, which are currently covered by more than one suggests that reorganising to have two councils would save less money, be less efficient and see duplications of expensive jobs, such as directors of adult social it argues that having three authorities in Norfolk would be "sub-optimal", costing more with a less joined-up county council leader Kay Mason Billig insisted "there are lots of other pieces of work to be done" before a decision was made on which option to pursue."There are a number of issues to explore and it's too early to draw lines on any maps," she said. The report commissioned by Norfolk's seven smaller local authorities argues in favour of having three authorities, the Local Democracy Reporting Service suggests Norwich, King's Lynn and Great Yarmouth could be the focus of the new says the approach would provide "better local engagement" with residents, but it concedes it would be least likely to achieve report gives its lowest ranking to a single unitary authority but admits it would have the most financial Chapman-Allen, the Conservative leader of Breckland District Council, said he believed smaller, more localised councils would serve people better."Residents expect a service delivered from their local council and don't mind paying for that as long as it's a good level of service," he said."If something is too big, it's too distant and remote to be effective."The councils have until 21 March to submit their interim proposals to the government, with final proposals due in September. Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Reform UK wins second council seat in Norfolk
Reform UK has won its second seat on a council in Norfolk, taking more than half the vote. Scott Hussey was elected on to Breckland District Council following a by-election triggered by the resignation of Conservative Ian Sherwood. Hussey won comfortably, taking 54% of the vote, with the Tories second place on 23%. He joins Robin Hunter Clarke – who defected from the Tories to Reform last month – on the council. The result is the first council seat won by the party in Norfolk at an election. It was welcomed by the Reform UK MP for Great Yarmouth, Rupert Lowe, who posted on X that it was "a big Reform Norfolk win". Hunter Clarke said the result proved that "the public demand real change". "This is just the beginning," he added. Hussey stood for Reform in the Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket constituency during the 2024 general election, finishing third, with the seat won by Labour. Sherwood – who previously worked in the parliamentary office of former Prime Minister Liz Truss - won the seat for the Conservatives with 52.6% of the vote in 2003. He resigned from his seat last month. The Breckland Conservatives have been asked for comment. Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Plans approved for a new Next in Norfolk town Reality TV accused of stigmatising social housing Council puts brakes on plans for car park charges Breckland District Council
