A new Greater Cambridge unitary authority has been engineered by the Liberal Democrats and Labour as a foregone conclusion – before the public consultation had even closed.
The government has asked all councils in England to merge themselves into bigger unitary councils as part of its English Devolution Bill.
Councils are legally required to ask the public for their views in a consultation as part of the process to decide which councils will merge together.
For residents, it will affect levels of council tax and who will be responsible for fixing potholes, collecting bins and setting rents for council houses.
However, in South Cambridgeshire and Cambridge City, the Lib Dem and Labour leaders, Cllr Bridget Smith and Cllr Cameron Holloway respectively, nailed their stakes to the ground for a Greater Cambridge council – before hearing what the public had to say about it and before considering the implications for finances and council services.
In a council meeting on 17 July – three days before the public consultation had even ended – Cllr Bridget Smith declared that the Lib Dem administration in South Cambridgeshire favoured a Greater Cambridge unitary authority.
Cllr Cameron Holloway wedded Cambridge City Council to the same position in council papers published even earlier.
Both leaders also sent an open letter to all councillors.
Councillors raised concerns that a Greater Cambridge unitary authority risks becoming merely an urban extension of Cambridge, meaning distinct rural concerns in South Cambridgeshire are diluted.
Cllr Heather Williams, Leader of the Conservative Opposition at South Cambridgeshire District Council, said:
“It’s very disappointing to say the least that the leader has decided to actively lobby for one of the options, when we are still waiting for the outcome of the public consultation and before it’s even been debated and voted on by councillors.
“It seems to me that it doesn’t matter whether it’s congestion charging, the 4-day week or now Local Government Reorganisation – the South Cambs Lib Dems are not willing to listen to residents and are indifferent to their views. They have forgotten that we are the residents voice at the council and not the other way around.
“We haven’t even seen the business plans yet for each option. So that can only lead us to think that there is an ulterior motive as to why this Greater Cambridge option is being lobbied for and pushed for so hardly by the South Cambs administration. It truly makes you wonder if they are putting party before people. We will not do that – I look forward to hearing the views of residents and will fully take them into account when debating and deciding on Local Government Reorganisation.”
