Council calls for more ‘transparency’ over Government’s LGR re-shaping decision

Nottinghamshire is heading for its largest boundary shake-up in 50 years, after the Government confirmed in July how the area’s nine councils would be merged to create two new unitary authorities as part of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR).

By 2028, sections of Broxtowe, Gedling and Rushcliffe will become part of an enlarged Nottingham city area to form a new unitary authority and a second unitary authority will cover the rest of the county – ending the existing two-tier structure.

Earlier this year, Rushcliffe Council, in a joint effort with Broxtowe Council, appointed a lawyer to assess whether a judicial review on Nottinghamshire’s LGR decision had the ‘potential to succeed’, but was told it was more likely to fail.

However, a legal challenge over Nottinghamshire’s restructure could still happen, with the Reform-led county council writing to the Government to seek ‘clarification of the reasoning, evidence and rationale’ for its LGR decision for the county.

Coun Mick Barton (Ref), county council leader, added that once the council receives that information and evidence from the Government, it will consider whether to move forward with a full judicial review.

Labour’s restructuring decision has also caused concerns at the lowest tier of local government.

Greasley Parish Council and Broxtowe Council have both written to the Government to express their ‘profound concern’ about the Greasley parish area being split between the two councils’ boundaries.

Under LGR plans, Giltbrook, Greasley, Moorgreen and Newthorpe would be part of the the county unitary but Watnall would become part of the wider Nottingham city unitary.

This has raised fears Watnall could be left unparished under LGR.

Louise Turgoose, Greasley parish clerk, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service, said: "To think that potentially a third of our residents could be without help and potentially left on their own is horrible to think about, and the implications for our staff members.

“It’s about losing that representation, there would be a lack of representation for people that live in the area, work in the area, who want to see the best for the area – where decisions about Watnall would be made at a much higher level in Nottingham.”

Ms Turgoose says in an effort to ‘preserve’ the representation of those living in Watnall, both authorities are calling on the Government to retain the whole of the Greasley parish area within the county unitary by amending the proposed boundary changes.

If this cannot be achieved, the councils say they would like the parish council to continue representing all its areas under LGR – regardless of whether Watnall technically falls under the new wider Nottingham unitary – or ensure similar representation can be given in future, potentially under a new Watnall parish.

Coun Milan Radulovic (Brox Alliance), Broxtowe Council leader, said the current boundary problem could create a ‘huge hole’ in the parish council’s finances.

He said: “Greasley is a historic parish council, the area dates back to the Domesday Book, it’s historically important.

“To break it up in this way would, in my opinion, be completely wrong, unfair, and it’s done undemocratically without support from local people.”

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government was contacted for comment.