'Give us time to shape democracy'
Oct 30 2007 by Ben Guy, The Journal
THE consultation periods for major changes in local government structures have been too short, a group of parish councils say.
Eight parish councils in Northumberland have written to the Northumberland Strategic Partnership in protest at the way part of the consultation over the switch to a unitary authority has been handled.
The councils say insufficient time was allowed for consultation over the Characteristic Communities Strategy, groups that will make up part of the new structure.
Now parish councillors in Cresswell, Ellington and Linton, Lynemouth, Longhirst, Ulgham, Widdrington Station and Stobswood, Pegswood and Widdrington Village have voiced concerns.
Widdrington Parish Council chairwoman Valerie Seddon said parishes had not been given enough time. She said: “Everybody needs to be aware of what is happening and how important it is. One of the things that we are most concerned about is that the consultations have been rather short.
“We need to raise awareness because this is going to have a profound effect on local government.”
The Characteristic Community Strategy is being carried out to divide Northumberland into areas that will have a role in the unitary authority. Parish councils received details of the new structure on October 15 and were told they had until the end of the month to make their observations.
That date has now been put back and Mrs Seddon said it was important that as many people as possible took part in the consultation.
She said: “What quite a few people want them to do is scrap the idea completely and to go back to the drawing board.
“But really the best we can hope for is that as many parish councils and residents get their opinions in – there has to be some sort of back-up if the system breaks down.” Northumberland Strategic Partnership executive director John Litherland said: “It is not a quick process. It is a consultation process in order to determine the precise boundaries for the Northumberland Characteristic Community areas.
“We will look at their analysis and I am very interested in what they say – we will take that into account.”
Mr Litherland said the NSP would be examining all the responses after the deadline of the end of this month before a final decision was taken.
The Government wants to replace district councils and county councils in Durham and Northumberland with two county-wide unitary authorities.
Northumberland County Council believes a single unitary authority would produce savings and be more effective, but district councils would prefer two councils, urban and rural.
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