20/03/25: Breckland members support plans to create three unitary councils, but reservations on process remain

Members of Breckland Council have thrown their support behind proposals which, if implemented, would see three Unitary Councils put in place in Norfolk. The new organisations would replace the existing County Council as well as all of Norfolk's Borough, City and District Councils, in the biggest shake up of local government in more than 50 years.

However, councillors also expressed their concerns about the Government's proposed approach to Local Government Reorganisation and raised fears that under a new set of structures, Breckland residents would face a rise in council tax in the future with no corresponding improvement in services they receive.

The debate took place at a special Council meeting today (20 March), following the Government's instruction that Local Government is to be 'reorganised'.

At their meeting, councillors considered evidence and analysis of various options conducted by independent, external experts. The report considered the issues, challenges and opportunities that reorganising local services presents and reviewed different models against six criteria.  

The report recommended that if the Government is determined to push ahead with Local Government Reorganisation, the best model for Norfolk would be to have three unitary councils. 

Following an extensive discussion, Breckland members resolved to support this model as their preferred choice. 

However, a number of councillors remained sceptical about the benefits that Local Government Reorganisation may deliver and whether residents and businesses would see an improvement in services as a result. 

Following this vote, the council - along with Norfolk's other authorities, which have also been considering their preferred model in recent days - will now write to the Government to set out their preferred approach. 

It is expected that the Government will assess the proposed future structures and, if they are supported in principle, give the green light for local authorities to work up a more thorough plan on how the preferred model could be implemented before submitting this around the autumn. The Government would then have the final say on which changes, if any, are made to local government structures. 

Cllr Sam Chapman-Allen, Breckland Council's Leader, commented: "The analysis from the independent experts shows that a three unitary model has the best potential of the options currently available to us. It is the most likely to deliver some level of efficiency to the public purse, maintain a vital connection between service delivery and local need, and secure an appropriate councillor-to-resident ratio which protects local democracy." 

Cllr Bill Borrett, Breckland Council's Executive Member for Local Government Reorganisation, added: "As an authority, Breckland has a strong track record of service delivery and innovation, so we have proven that we are very open to new ways of thinking and working. 

"However, I remain deeply concerned that we're all being rushed by the Government into wiping away more than five decades of service refinements and partnerships and I've seen little evidence that whatever is put in place will bring about service improvements or significant savings for our residents. 

"The reality is people in Breckland will likely see a rise in their council tax as local levels are brought in line with those elsewhere in the county, while the bigger the unitary authorities are the less responsive they'll be to the needs of local communities. 

"Some of the options sound disastrous, particularly the one unitary for Norfolk model. This has not delivered the promised savings anywhere else in the country, like in Somerset for example, where the unitary authority has had to ask the government for permission to increase its council tax by 7.5%, which is more than the 5% cap for other authorities."