The devolution debacle has continued in Leicestershire and Rutland as a council leader issued a statement refuting claims her authority has not engaged with neighbours.  

All is not well in relations between the councils in Leicestershire and Rutland as the Government's local government reorganisation proposal has caused a series of fall outs, seemingly sparked by Leicestershire County Council going it alone at the start of January when it issued a public statement in favour of two new councils to serve Leicestershire and Rutland. 

There have since been a series of media statements made by the various local authorities – with the Leicestershire authority launching a public consultation last Thursday on a 'common sense plan' for one Leicestershire unitary, which would exclude Rutland. The authority has done an about turn on having two councils for Leicestershire, saying this is now a non-starter. 



Leader of Rutland County Council, Gale Waller, has spoken out against the proposal for a mega-council (Photo: LDRS)

Rutland and the district councils in Leicestershire responded by issuing a joint statement the same day to say they were 'disappointed' with the county council and that one large council of 800,000 residents would be too 'remote' and 'unwieldy'. On Friday they put forward their preferred option of three unitary councils – one for North Leicestershire and Rutland, one for South Leicestershire and another for the city. 

The police and crime commissioner has also got involved telling the Leicestershire County and City Councils in an open letter to include the views of all councillors and MPs and suggesting all public bodies across Leicestershire and Rutland should get round the table. 

This morning Conservative leader of LCC Deborah Taylor, has 'hit back' at claims she has not engaged and suggested a meeting for March 6. This suggested meeting does not include Rutland. 

In a new media statement, she said: "Rather than the district councils seeking to engage with the county council, the reality was that they chose to exclude the county council from their meetings. I'm aware that the district councils have said they have "appraised all options" and have opted for a north/south split of the county. At no point have they published any details of this proposal. 

"That's why I'm calling for a meeting on March 6 so all of this can be discussed, transparently and openly. The county council's proposals for single unitary council outside of the city was already on record and I note that the district councils' proposal for a unitary structure, which does not include an extended city boundary, announced last Friday, was never discussed with the county council. Again, the districts chose not to engage with the county council." 

The Labour government wants all councils to be of a size of at least 350,000 residents and then wants to devolve regional powers down to larger strategic authorities. 

The reorganisation is being done at pace and has led to disagreements across the country.  

The final decision, which must be submitted to central government by March 21, can come down to the council's individual leaders, however in Rutland it has been decided that any proposal put to government by the county council will first be agreed by the full council. However, a final decision on how the new councils is aligned is looking likely to come from central government. Rutland's MP Alicia Kearns is proposing the ceremonial county of Rutland remains.