CRAVEN is being ‘forced’ into local government reorganisation at the worst time possible, heard councillors as they prepared to vote on the likely end of Craven District Council.

Despite requests to delay reorganisation and the creation of a single, unitary authority for the whole district until after the coronavirus crisis, the council had been ignored by central government, heard last week’s extraordinary meeting, held remotely, via Zoom.

Council leader, Cllr Richard Foster (Con, Grassington) said he believed none of his fellow members at the meeting thought local government reorganisation was a good idea and he still hoped central government would call a temporary halt. But, in the light of North Yorkshire County Council submitting its bid for a ‘mega council’, he felt it was important that an alternative bid be submitted, which the district council believed was more manageable, and to give residents a choice.

But, by voting to progress with the bid, which was made jointly with five other district and borough councils, earlier this week, and which will see the creation of two unitary authorities, instead of the county council’s one, councillors were bringing about the end of Craven District Council, he said.

“We are taking a vote that will mean the end of Craven District Council, and I think that is a properly, properly sad night. I have worked with officers and members for a long time and the ending of this organisation is not going to benefit the residents of Craven,” he said.

All but one of the 25 councillors, Cllr Ricard Welch, voted for the bid to go ahead, but with some, including Cllr Foster saying it was made ‘reluctantly’.

Chief executive, Paul Shevlin, told the meeting there was never a right time for local government reorganisation, but this was ‘absolutely the worst time to go ahead’.

He said he and his senior officers had already spent far too much time putting together the bid and that far more would be taken up on reorganisation in the coming months.

He also believed having a new authority in place by 2022 would be impossible. “This is in an early stage and it has already taken up far too much of my time and far too much time of my senior managers time when they should be concentrating on other economic and health issues. That is where we should be concentrating our resources,” he said.

And, there was still much to do, this being the first stage. “Anyone who believes the hard lifting has already been done is in for a rude awakening. To anyone who believes it can be put in place by April, 2022, I don’t think that is a sound judgement.”

Mr Shevlin said there was also an enormous impact on council staff. “These are their jobs we are talking about, these are their livelihoods.”

Cllr Andy Brown (Green, Aire Valley with Lothersdale) agreed that the council should have its full focus on the pandemic and its impact on its community, instead of ‘staring at its own navel and trying to decide how best local government should re-organise itself’.

He questioned the basis on which wild promises about saving millions of pounds a year were being made and pointed out that the re-organisation also brought costs, delays, lack of focus and at least two years of disruption.

Cllr Patrick Mulligan, one of six 'dual-hatted' councillors on the council who sit on both Craven and North Yorkshire councils, said while he supported the bid, he did not endorse it.

He said he was in favour of reorganisation given the amount of money it would save and lead to greater efficiency.

But, deputy leader, Cllr Simon Myers said he regretted the passing of district councils and claimed residents did not want a 'mega council' as proposed by the county council.

"I feel the relationship we have with our residents is good. I feel that people think they can speak to us; there is a very human level of exchange."

The outline bid has been jointly submitted by Craven, Harrogate, Richmondshire, Ryedale, Scarborough and Selby. The councils say their proposed east and west model is the best way to reorganise local government in the region.

Cllr Foster said: “Our east and west proposal is really gaining momentum. We now have overwhelming support from six out of nine authorities in York and North Yorkshire. This is a real vote of confidence, with no other proposal carrying this level of support from elected councillors.

“It signals support for the KPMG study, which demonstrated using evidence that the east and west model provides the strongest local leadership, the most effective services, the fairest democratic representation, significant financial savings, and the strongest approach to unlocking devolution.

“District and borough councils have shown through our response to the Covid-19 crisis that we are the best placed to support our communities and our local economy, and we would carry this expertise forward into any future unitary authorities.

“North Yorkshire County Council have been ruthlessly pursuing their ‘mega-council’ bid for reorganisation, but we know many of our residents and businesses are concerned about their proposal, which would create the largest unitary in England.

“The County Council’s model would cover an area which is five and a half times the size of Greater London. It’s as big as Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Oxfordshire combined.

“This is why we have agreed to submit a far better alternative. We have been listening to all views throughout this process and we will continue to consult with local people, businesses and partners as we gather further evidence to demonstrate the benefits of an East and West model.”

Businesses who wish to voice support for the East and West model are asked to email feedback@get-change-right.com expressing their views. Residents can also have their say on the Get Change Right website at www.get-change-right.com/consultations from November 10.