Norwich Unitary Status: Direction of Travel

12.24.43pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 19th Sep 2007

Hereward Cooke

Debate about Unitary status and extended boundaries continues to rage across Norfolk. Norwich Liberal Democrat City Council group leader Hereward Cooke responds in the following letter to the Eastern Daily Press.

Dear Sir,

Cllrs Michael Snowland and Daniel Cox from Broadland District and Norfolk County Council respectively have both warned (Sept. 17th) against taking the Norwich unitary fences too fast. They are right to advise caution, but equally they must be aware of the general direction in which the Government is leading the process.

It is as if the Secretary of State has put up a sign-post at the A11 entrance to Norfolk which says: Norwich Unitary: 3 years. We may never get there but the direction of travel is very clear. And Norwich, quite rightly, is preparing for that eventuality, because, without preparation, the consequences would be dire.

Our Liberal Democrat line is to invite members of all political and interested parties, parish councils and individuals to prepare for that moment when the Boundary Committee arrive in the county.

At the same time, the Government is giving us the chance to have a major say in what shape local government in Norfolk could take, and is asking us to work on the issue in advance of the Boundary Committee. Local solutions for local Norfolk situations.

That is why Norman Lamb MP and the Lib Dem Group Leaders floated the idea of an independently-chaired Norfolk Convention, including meetings, a web-site, surveys etc to see if we could come to a common mind on the subject. We need the expertise and ideas from Councils of all political hues to join us, in case the Norwich Unitary target is reached by 2010. It is surely better to travel in anticipation of a positive outcome for all, than never to have travelled at all.

Councillor Hereward Cooke

Leader of the Liberal Democrats

Norwich City Hall

The Lib Dem group in Norwich will take action on the issue by putting the following motion to Norwich City Council on the 25th September:

'In the light of the possible granting of Unitary Status to Norwich and the subsequent reorganisation of local government across Norfolk, this Council agrees that, in response to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government's wish that local people and authorities be involved in the process of determining their future boundaries and status, and within the terms of her reference to the Boundary Committee, the best method for involving a broad cross-section of interests in Norwich and Norfolk in the decision, perhaps by means of a Norfolk Convention, be explored.'