Nottingham leader supports plans to expand city boundary
By Joe Locker, Local Democracy Reporter
The leader of Nottingham City Council has backed plans to expand the city’s boundaries under a merger with two neighbouring boroughs.
Councillors discussed proposals to reorganise local council boundaries at a meeting on Monday (March 17), with some councillors arguing against claims it is a city council “takeover”.
In December last year the Labour Government announced plans to reorganise and restructure local councils in a bid to “create more efficient and effective local government” – which some councils say could potentially lead to streamlined services and cost savings for residents.
There are three options on the table, which all nine Nottinghamshire councils are discussing this week.
Under option one, Nottingham, Broxtowe, and Gedling would be combined as one unitary authority, with the remaining districts and boroughs forming the second unitary authority.
Option two would mean Nottingham, Broxtowe and Rushcliffe combine, with the remaining districts and boroughs forming the second unitary authority.
Option three, referred to as the “county-only option”, would mean Nottingham remains as its own unitary authority, with the rest of the Nottinghamshire forming the second unitary authority.
City Council leader Cllr Neghat Khan (Lab) said she supported any “Nottingham plus-two” model, under which a new authority would be created to incorporate the city, Broxtowe and Gedling, or the city, Broxtowe and Rushcliffe, or any model that includes an expansion of current boundaries.
“Nottingham is a significantly under-bounded local authority, covering a population of 328,000 at the centre of a built-up area of well over 750,000 -and a wider county population of 1.17 million,” she said.
“We are responsible for delivering the services expected in a core city, but many of the people who work in the city, and use council services, currently live in the suburbs, meaning they can’t vote in city elections, and pay council tax elsewhere. We need to address that imbalance.
“Let me be clear – this is not about raising council tax in new areas, despite what some political opponents may claim. The future of local government should not be a political football, it should be about efficiencies, sustainability and ensuring local people receive the high quality services they deserve.
“We acknowledge the challenges Nottingham has faced in recent years, however I will not allow fearmongering to distract from real progress we have made. We have worked hard to get our house in order, and that progress has been recognised by commissioners and Government.
“We have set a clear path towards financial stability, with a fully-balanced general fund position by 2027/28. This is not a narrative of a city in crisis.”
Cllr Khan said she expects the third option, which would see the city’s boundaries remain unchanged, to be discredited by the Government.
Under the Government’s plans for local government reorganisation, any new authority must cover areas of 500,000 people or more.
The third option would see the city’s population remain below this figure.
“When you look at the way the city is set out it makes no coherent sense for the conurbation, it is massively disadvantageous,” Cllr Nick Raine (Lab) said in the meeting.
“I know people are worried. When I hear people say it is a city takeover – which it isn’t because this will be a new council – and that [other areas] have got assets that we haven’t, I say hang on a minute; we have got a castle, two stately homes, some of the best arts and music scenes and we are the centre of literature.
“People attacking our city have got it completely wrong. We have got an opportunity here.”
A number of options must be submitted to the Government by the end of March, and a final decision will be made by November this year.
Changes could then be introduced as early as 2027.
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