The EDP reports this morning that a senior source in Whitehall says that the Greater Norwich bid is now a done deal. Nothing we, or the public, can say will stop this now. Apparently everything from Taverham in the North to Long Stratton in the South is about to come under City Hall control. A few points, randomly and in no particular order, spring to mind:
This is the most undemocratic and political move ever by a British government towards a faction of local government, outstripping even the 1974 reorganisaion. I think a lot of people who oppose this move will punish Labour at the polls.
If they do that the irony is, as suggested by the EDP, that the Tories could just form a majority administration in the City. I'm sure that will thrill Morph, Read, Ramsay, Cooke and all the other unitary cheerleaders who did this to get away from Conservative control!
It will mean massive ward boundary changes. I think wards ought to get smaller and that we should have 2 member divisions with bi-annual elections, but anything could now happen.
Broadland and South Norfolk become untennable as districts. What do they do now?
And one final thought - do the Leaders of Norfolk, South Norfolk and Broadland now accept the fait accompi and work towards getting a good deal in the breakup of the councils or do they die in a ditch for their residents and risk letting Labour set the post-unitary agenda? I personally don't think that the residents would accept anything short of death-in-action over this. We must oppose this to the bitter end - and then win the unitary poll.
3 comments:
What a mess! and it's political suicide. The County will be Conservative forever more and the City will NEVER have a Labour administration.
My sources say it is a done deal - although the EDP haven't quite got their geography right.
Antony
Looks like the end is in sight with Unitary Status the outcome.
Its curtains for the county in Norwich
Only a Conservative win in Norwich can reverse this at the next General Election or next may.
Otherwise, it is a done deal with the possible end to South Norfolk and Broadland. The rest of Broadland will probably be taken in by North Norfolk and Great Yarmouth and South Norfolk into Breckland and Great Yarmouth.
This is aactually the best chance of Conservatives getting in at City Hall, or being a competative force.
Labour Vote Diluted to Inner Suburban Norwich
Greens Vote Diluted to Nelson, Wensum, Town Close and possibly Thorpe in the future.
Lib Dems Vote Stabilised, with additions of Costessey, New Costessey. Its been murdered in existing parts of the city.
Conservative vote massively increased by Outer Norwich from Broadland in the North, and possible areas like Cringleford
Personally, if Unitary is a done deal, and modern boundary changes in progress, a powerful single Conservative Executive in Norwich City Hall might not be a bad prospect, IMO
Perhaps the Police and Fire Services can take over County Hall in the rejig.
It also means Antony you will need a bigger website and blogspot, thinking positively.
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