At a meeting of Bolsover District Council on Wednesday 23 March 2022, councillors unanimously agreed to reject a proposal that would see the Council swallowed up into a larger Derbyshire-wide authority with no powers.
The cross party approval was received after members had heard various presentations about the Conservative government’s ‘Levelling Up’ White Paper.
The White Paper is essentially looking at creating a new devolution framework that would disseminate powers from local District Councils to wider Combined Authorities or Directly Elected Mayors.
The Council's Labour Leader, Councillor Steve Fritchley called the meeting as he wanted councillors to be fully informed on what was happening. “This is a very important issue for our local communities and it is only right and proper that every councillor had the opportunity to speak on it and not be swayed by outside influences or party whips – as I know for a fact other areas in Derbyshire have not been given this opportunity. As a democratic Leader, I wanted an open and free discussion on the destruction local government reform would bring to Bolsover District and we got that.”
The White Paper has 12 national missions such as education, wellbeing, skills training and transport connectivity and talks about efficiencies.
If the devolution framework is agreed in Derbyshire then the powers would shift to larger authorities with District Council’s having no voting powers or say on how money is spent.
Proposals have been put forward by both Derbyshire County Council and Derby City Council, but even these two organisations cannot agree on what they want as the County Council want a Combined Authority and the City Council want a Directly Elected Mayor.
Councillor Steve Fritchley added, “This is the third time I have bought my concerns about local government reform to the Council. The discussion on Vision Derbyshire which was based on a Price Copper Waterhouse study commissioned by the County Council and I was immediately concerned about the loss of sovereignty and loss of jobs, and you all shared my concerns.
“Whilst I am a great believer in collaboration (we have been doing this for years) that produces an end product I cannot reconcile to a reduction in services and job losses and my views are supported by the three Unions, GMB, Unite and Unison.”
The government have stated there is no extra money as the money is already available in existing funding streams, but also talks about ‘efficiencies’ created by larger authorities. But we all know what the word ‘efficiencies’ really mean – CUTS. Cuts to jobs. Cuts to services. Cuts to funding meant for Bolsover District.
All this ultimately adds up to less services for more money. Money paid by local residents of Bolsover District, but spent in other areas of the county and we would have people making decisions about Bolsover District sat forty or fifty miles away that have no knowledge of the area.
Independent representative, Councillor Andrew Joesbury from South Normanton said, “I feel this is the government making change for change. It is not viable. We are talking about putting the authority into the hands of Derbyshire who can’t keep the youth clubs open have a rubbish health service, can’t fill potholes in so how on earth are they going to manage us with any efficiency. I just don’t get where this is coming from.”
Representing Pinxton, Labour councillor Mary Dooley said, “I have sat here before when I was involved in meetings with other authorities who then wanted a combined authority. We stood firm then and said a firm ‘no’. We would have got a few crumbs from the table from the bigger authorities, with no voice, so we stood firm as we wanted to keep the voice of Bolsover and we did. There is no new money through this Levelling Up, so we need to act now and I am 100% behind the Leader and Deputy Leader.”
Labour councillor for Shirebrook, Janet Tait said, “It was very disappointing that the Conservative members left and did not take part in the debate and they did not try to defend what their government is doing to our constituencies. I think that is unacceptable.”
Deputy Leader and Labour councillor for Elmton-with-Creswell, Duncan McGregor highlighted a raft of success the authority had achieved over the past years including building 170 new Council properties and enabling over 500 private sector houses being built contributing to the local economy. Employing apprentices, developing green spaces and community woodlands, investing in leisure facilities and developing business sites and supporting local town centres.
He added, “We are the people who meet with local community leaders and who our local residents come to on a daily basis. We are the ones who live within these local communities. We are the ones who have local expertise. We are the ones who have the local knowledge and local understanding that enables us to use our resources to the best effect.
Labour councillor Liz Smyth, representing Ault Hucknall said, “We are doing a cracking job. We have a vision and we have a plan to put this vision into practice. If we end up with these county deals or Mayoral combined authorities we are going to end up with all the money and all the power going away from districts like ours to enormous unitary authorities, which could be several counties. And we all know that this does not seem to work - localism is best.”
Labour councillor for Blackwell, Clive Moesby said, “We heard this morning that the two authorities pushing this forward, the County Council and Derby City even want different things from the devolution deal. None of us would want to turn away extra funding or cash to help our communities, but it has to be delivered in a way that is beneficial to the communities in Bolsover District.”
Leader of the Independent Group, Councillor Deborah Watson from Tibshelf said, “We know our local areas the best. It appears to me that the County Deals and Vision Derbyshire options actually shoot the whole argument in the foot. The missions listed in the document are admirable, but I can’t see how we can achieve these aspirations through a devolution deal. The best way to do this is to leave the local areas in the hands of the local people and in the Levelling Up document it talks all the way through it about local –so why would you remove local representation.”
Representing Bolsover, Labour councillor Nick Clarke said, “I have an issue with the word efficiency as it is nothing buts cuts. Cuts to people’s jobs, people will be laid off, families will be devastated and they will lose that spending power within the local economy. We should be against this and is not the way forward and it is not a levelling up paper it is levelling down.”
Labour councillor for Bolsover, Donna Hales said, “We all became councillors to represent our local constituencies. I have had experience of meeting representatives from larger authorities who did not even know what and where I was talking about, which sums up why local councils are important. My constituents know me, I live here, I shop here, I do community work here. This is a form of centralisation and they are wanting to take control and responsibility away from us.”
Community Independent representative, Councillor Allan Bailey said, “There is a saying – why fix it if it’s not broken! Bolsover has been doing a brilliant job for many years. I was elected to serve my local village and we are looking after local people and my constituents know me and can approach me. Get in touch with larger authorities and things just don’t get done. I totally back the Leader and his Deputy in what they are saying.”
Labour councillor, Tricia Clough from Glapwell said, “I took this document to the people I represent when I was volunteering and asked what they thought. They didn’t like it. They want to know who they are dealing with and talking to. The areas where they don’t feel things are getting done are usually the services done by larger authorities because they don’t have the experience or local knowledge that’s needed. For me this is not the way to go. The closer, the better.”
Deputy Leader of the Council, Councillor Duncan McGregor moved a motion that: It was recommended that Bolsover District supports the continuation of a two-tier government system in Derbyshire and encourages other Derbyshire Council’s to do the same and the Council Leader be empowered to explore other alternatives, if necessary.
This was unanimously supported by all parties at the meeting.
Steve Fritchley said he was really encouraged by what had been said and I thanked everyone for their comments at the meeting.