Hexham Courant Friday January 19 2007

County compromises in face of back bench rebellion
Published on 19/01/2007

By WILL GREEN

CHAOS reigned at County Hall on Monday, as county councillors clashed over the future of local government.

In a marathon three-hour session, councillors from across the political spectrum slugged it out to decide whether Northumberland County Council would submit its plans to create a single unitary authority for the whole county.

This would signal its own abolition and that of Northumberland’s six district councils.

Faced by a potential rebellion from within its own ranks, the ruling Labour executive finally agreed to a compromise motion rather than risk putting its wafer-thin majority to the test, even with a whip in force.

It did submit its plans for a single council, but also agreed to support the submission of an alternative proposal from the districts for two unitary councils – one for the four rural districts of Tynedale, Castle Morpeth, Alnwick and Berwick, and the other from the two urban authorities of Wansbeck and Blyth Valley.

The move was seen as a sop to powerful Labour members in the urban areas, who are known to favour the two-way split.

Tory opposition leader Coun. Alex Kerr, from Bingfield, told the council’s leaders: “You may accuse me of being cynical in saying that the move to support two authorities is just another sop to support your already damaged administration.

“Leadership doesn’t mean the arrogance of assuming you know best; it should mean talking to your partners, and you have failed in this.”

And Tory councillor Bill Purdue, from Allendale, said: “This is farcical, we are being asked to agree two diametrically opposed ideas in this new recommendation!”

Lib Dem group leader Coun. Lesley Rickerby, from Blyth, said: “It is no secret that the majority of Lib Dems would have voted against a single unitary recommendation.

“We mustn't forget the importance of the decision we make here today.

“Residents’ views should be heard through a referendum.”

Other members blasted the executive’s alleged strong arming of rebel Labour councillors to vote for the single council recommendation by the use of the party whip.

Tory councillor Glen Sanderson, from Morpeth, said: “The Labour party are good at one thing – bullying!

“Look at them here today, forced to come in and sign this compromise, all designed to allow those people who might otherwise have been absent due to ‘illness’ to come in!”

But one such councillor, Labour’s Dave Stephens from Blyth, said there had been no bullying used to get him to vote despite his well known support for the rural/urban option.

“I am a vociferous supporter of the two unitary argument. However, I support the motion today because I’m not afraid of both submissions going forward.”

The recommendation – which was carried by a vote of 43 for, 18 against and two abstentions – said councillors “endorse the submission of a single unitary proposal in the context of county support for the submission of both a single unitary by the county council and two unitary councils by the district councils”.

The original motion, simply recommended councillors “endorse the case for a single unitary council”.

However, following the meeting, leader of the county council Labour’s Bill Brooks, seemed pleased with the outcome, saying: “I am delighted that county councillors have voted to do what is best for the people of Northumberland.

“The final decision on any reorganisation will be made by the Government and Monday’s decision means that our proposals can go to the minister for consideration, along with any proposals the district councils put forward.”

But the fact that the Government, rather than local councillors, will shape the future of the county has not been universally well received.

Tory councillor Raymond Thompson, from Stocksfield, said: “The council has abrogated its responsibility for our own area to central Government.

“While they are trying to make us take our own decisions we are saying to them that we can’t – it doesn’t bode well for the future!”



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