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BERWICK Borough Council is to join forces with its district council colleagues to mount a campaign for two separate unitary authorities in Northumberland.
The decision has been taken in response to the government's seemingly inevitable plans to scrap one tier of local government.With the leader of Northumberland County Council having already indicated his support for a single unitary authority, it would appear the battle lines have now been drawn up.However, a final decision will not be made by the public as was the case two years ago when voters overwhelmingly rejected the proposed regional assembly and single unitary status.Coun John Stephenson, leader of Berwick Borough Council, accused the government of trying to impose the new structure through the back door."I believe this is misguided revenge for the people of the north east saying no to a regional assembly," he said. "It's terribly disappointing that we are having to revisit this - and the expense that will be incurred - just two years since the expressed wishes of the electorate were made clear."The council believes a single unitary authority dominated by decision-makers from the south-east of the county would fail to take into account the needs of rural areas such as Berwick Borough.It believes the best course of action would be to split the county into rural and urban authorities - with Berwick joining Alnwick, Tynedale and the northern part of Castle Morpeth in the former and Blyth Valley, Wansbeck and the rest of Castle Morpeth in the latter."I don't believe a unitary authority which doesn't take into account the rural needs of people in places like Berwick Borough is appropriate and therefore we are being pushed back into going for two unitary authorities," said Coun Stephenson.Ironically, the districts had been in talks with the county council about enhancing the existing two-tier structure but there appears to be no way back now.Coun Stephenson said: "We really wanted to enhance the two tier system but after meeting with the leader of the county council we have been left in no doubt that option is not on the table."The leader has since admitted this is his own personal view after being tackled by Coun Diana Beith at last week's full meeting of the county council.Coun Beith said: "The council has never discussed this issue and there are no meetings yet arranged for them to do so. In the regional referendum in 2004, people in Northumberland clearly voted against a unitary authority for all of Northumberland. District councils have yet to be properly consulted, and by reaction so far it is clear there is no consensus on the way forward."Coun Beith went on to accuse the leader of being out of touch and dismissive of the democratic views of the people of Northumberland, particularly in the Berwick Borough area.The shake-up will mean the loss of a local government base in north Northumberland and Coun George Miller expressed his disappointment at this.However, Coun Bill Ferguson felt that in theory a rural/urban split could benefit north Northumberland residents - although funding was the bottom line.This was also a concern for Coun David Stewart who expressed doubts about how a two unitary structure could provide quality health and education services.e-mail: iansmithBERWICK Borough Council is to join forces with its district council colleagues to mount a campaign for two separate unitary authorities in Northumberland.
The decision has been taken in response to the government's seemingly inevitable plans to scrap one tier of local government.With the leader of Northumberland County Council having already indicated his support for a single unitary authority, it would appear the battle lines have now been drawn up.However, a final decision will not be made by the public as was the case two years ago when voters overwhelmingly rejected the proposed regional assembly and single unitary status.Coun John Stephenson, leader of Berwick Borough Council, accused the government of trying to impose the new structure through the back door."I believe this is misguided revenge for the people of the north east saying no to a regional assembly," he said. "It's terribly disappointing that we are having to revisit this - and the expense that will be incurred - just two years since the expressed wishes of the electorate were made clear."The council believes a single unitary authority dominated by decision-makers from the south-east of the county would fail to take into account the needs of rural areas such as Berwick Borough.It believes the best course of action would be to split the county into rural and urban authorities - with Berwick joining Alnwick, Tynedale and the northern part of Castle Morpeth in the former and Blyth Valley, Wansbeck and the rest of Castle Morpeth in the latter."I don't believe a unitary authority which doesn't take into account the rural needs of people in places like Berwick Borough is appropriate and therefore we are being pushed back into going for two unitary authorities," said Coun Stephenson.Ironically, the districts had been in talks with the county council about enhancing the existing two-tier structure but there appears to be no way back now.Coun Stephenson said: "We really wanted to enhance the two tier system but after meeting with the leader of the county council we have been left in no doubt that option is not on the table."The leader has since admitted this is his own personal view after being tackled by Coun Diana Beith at last week's full meeting of the county council.Coun Beith said: "The council has never discussed this issue and there are no meetings yet arranged for them to do so. In the regional referendum in 2004, people in Northumberland clearly voted against a unitary authority for all of Northumberland. District councils have yet to be properly consulted, and by reaction so far it is clear there is no consensus on the way forward."Coun Beith went on to accuse the leader of being out of touch and dismissive of the democratic views of the people of Northumberland, particularly in the Berwick Borough area.The shake-up will mean the loss of a local government base in north Northumberland and Coun George Miller expressed his disappointment at this.However, Coun Bill Ferguson felt that in theory a rural/urban split could benefit north Northumberland residents - although funding was the bottom line.This was also a concern for Coun David Stewart who expressed doubts about how a two unitary structure could provide quality health and education services.e-mail: iansmithBERWICK Borough Council is to join forces with its district council colleagues to mount a campaign for two separate unitary authorities in Northumberland.
The decision has been taken in response to the government's seemingly inevitable plans to scrap one tier of local government.
With the leader of Northumberland County Council having already indicated his support for a single unitary authority, it would appear the battle lines have now been drawn up.
However, a final decision will not be made by the public as was the case two years ago when voters overwhelmingly rejected the proposed regional assembly and single unitary status.
Coun John Stephenson, leader of Berwick Borough Council, accused the government of trying to impose the new structure through the back door.
"I believe this is misguided revenge for the people of the north east saying no to a regional assembly," he said. "It's terribly disappointing that we are having to revisit this - and the expense that will be incurred - just two years since the expressed wishes of the electorate were made clear."
The council believes a single unitary authority dominated by decision-makers from the south-east of the county would fail to take into account the needs of rural areas such as Berwick Borough.
It believes the best course of action would be to split the county into rural and urban authorities - with Berwick joining Alnwick, Tynedale and the northern part of Castle Morpeth in the former and Blyth Valley, Wansbeck and the rest of Castle Morpeth in the latter.
"I don't believe a unitary authority which doesn't take into account the rural needs of people in places like Berwick Borough is appropriate and therefore we are being pushed back into going for two unitary authorities," said Coun Stephenson.
Ironically, the districts had been in talks with the county council about enhancing the existing two-tier structure but there appears to be no way back now.
Coun Stephenson said: "We really wanted to enhance the two tier system but after meeting with the leader of the county council we have been left in no doubt that option is not on the table."
The leader has since admitted this is his own personal view after being tackled by Coun Diana Beith at last week's full meeting of the county council.
Coun Beith said: "The council has never discussed this issue and there are no meetings yet arranged for them to do so. In the regional referendum in 2004, people in Northumberland clearly voted against a unitary authority for all of Northumberland. District councils have yet to be properly consulted, and by reaction so far it is clear there is no consensus on the way forward."
Coun Beith went on to accuse the leader of being out of touch and dismissive of the democratic views of the people of Northumberland, particularly in the Berwick Borough area.
The shake-up will mean the loss of a local government base in north Northumberland and Coun George Miller expressed his disappointment at this.
However, Coun Bill Ferguson felt that in theory a rural/urban split could benefit north Northumberland residents - although funding was the bottom line.
This was also a concern for Coun David Stewart who expressed doubts about how a two unitary structure could provide quality health and education services.
With the leader of Northumberland County Council having already indicated his support for a single unitary authority, it would appear the battle lines have now been drawn up.
However, a final decision will not be made by the public as was the case two years ago when voters overwhelmingly rejected the proposed regional assembly and single unitary status.
Coun John Stephenson, leader of Berwick Borough Council, accused the government of trying to impose the new structure through the back door.
"I believe this is misguided revenge for the people of the north east saying no to a regional assembly," he said. "It's terribly disappointing that we are having to revisit this - and the expense that will be incurred - just two years since the expressed wishes of the electorate were made clear."
The council believes a single unitary authority dominated by decision-makers from the south-east of the county would fail to take into account the needs of rural areas such as Berwick Borough.
It believes the best course of action would be to split the county into rural and urban authorities - with Berwick joining Alnwick, Tynedale and the northern part of Castle Morpeth in the former and Blyth Valley, Wansbeck and the rest of Castle Morpeth in the latter.
"I don't believe a unitary authority which doesn't take into account the rural needs of people in places like Berwick Borough is appropriate and therefore we are being pushed back into going for two unitary authorities," said Coun Stephenson.
Ironically, the districts had been in talks with the county council about enhancing the existing two-tier structure but there appears to be no way back now.
Coun Stephenson said: "We really wanted to enhance the two tier system but after meeting with the leader of the county council we have been left in no doubt that option is not on the table."
The leader has since admitted this is his own personal view after being tackled by Coun Diana Beith at last week's full meeting of the county council.
Coun Beith said: "The council has never discussed this issue and there are no meetings yet arranged for them to do so. In the regional referendum in 2004, people in Northumberland clearly voted against a unitary authority for all of Northumberland. District councils have yet to be properly consulted, and by reaction so far it is clear there is no consensus on the way forward."
Coun Beith went on to accuse the leader of being out of touch and dismissive of the democratic views of the people of Northumberland, particularly in the Berwick Borough area.
The shake-up will mean the loss of a local government base in north Northumberland and Coun George Miller expressed his disappointment at this.
However, Coun Bill Ferguson felt that in theory a rural/urban split could benefit north Northumberland residents - although funding was the bottom line.
This was also a concern for Coun David Stewart who expressed doubts about how a two unitary structure could provide quality health and education services.
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