Hinckley Councillor slams Tory plans to abolish Hinckley and Bosworth and create one council for all of Leicestershire
A Hinckley Liberal Democrat councillor has hit out at plans by the Conservative run Council to push on with plans for one Council for Leicestershire.
Papers have been published for next Friday 18th September's Leicestershire County Council Cabinet and include a report supporting the abolition of the seven Boroughs and Districts in Leicestershire and their replacement with one Unitary authority for the county.
If it is passed it will see Tory County Council Leader Nick Ruston writing to the Secretary of State for Local government to try and push on with the Unitary plans.
Hinckley Liberal Democrat councillor Michael Mullaney said "Plans for one unitary authority for Leicestershire will mean decision making being taken further away from local people. One authority for Leicestershire's 700,000 population will mean communities like the one I represent in Hinckley on the edge of the County feeling even more remote from decision making.
"The outgoing Conservative Local government Minister Simon Clarke even admitted that any new Unitaries should only be between 3-600,000 unless they are one united community (such as a single city). Given Leicestershire's population is around 700,000 and given that it is a large sprawling geographical county of many varying towns and villages, Leicestershire is clearly too big and too diverse to be squeezed into one authority.
"Abolishing Hinckley and Bosworth and the other Boroughs and Districts in Leicestershire would be a hugely disruptive, time consuming distraction at a time when people are trying to get through the Covid-19 pandemic. Getting through Covid-19 must be the top priority that occupies people's time and effort. I therefore call upon the Conservative government and County Council to drop their disruptive plans for one Unitary authority for Leicestershire.
"Liberal Democrats in Leicestershire will oppose these plans as a total distraction at this time of national emergency"