Alicia Kearns MP has today set out six tests to protect Rutland as the County Council negotiates the future of local government in our county.
Following Alicia Kearns MP’s public meetings to discuss the future of Rutland, Alicia has set out what she believes best represents the expectations of Rutlanders if councils are forced to re-organise which the Council should pursue as red-lines to minimise negative impact on to Rutland’s communities in any re-organisation.
Alicia’s six tests are as follow:
- Ceremonial County Protected: Rutland must continue as a ceremonial county. The Government must provide legislative or legal assurances to protect Rutland’s ceremonial county status.
- No Single Leicestershire Unitary: If Rutland’s unitary council is scrapped by Government, or the Council continues to request re-organisation, Rutland must not join one supra-unitary covering the whole of Leicestershire. There should be at least two unitary councils covering Leicestershire and Rutland, i.e. Leicestershire East and Rutland or North Leicestershire and Rutland.
- Council Tax Equalisation: Rutland’s Council Tax must be reduced down, and therefore equalised, to the same as all residents within any new County Council.
- Rutland Consequential: Fair Share: A mandate should be created in the constitution of any new County Council, or a formally agreed convention and mechanism, which calculates a fair allocation for Rutland of Government funds to ensure Rutland gets its fair share.
- Smaller Council Wards: Rutland currently has 27 County Councillors. Proposals for a single Leicestershire Unitary Council would reduce this number to just three. A two-unitary model (e.g Rutland and East Leicestershire or Rutland and North Leicestershire) would still see Rutland represented by only six Councillors. Any council re-organisation or devolution must ensure smaller council wards to ensure democratic accountability and keep democracy closer to communities.
- Rutland in the Name of the Council: As a Ceremonial County, and given our distinct identity, Rutland must be in the name of any new Council serving Rutlanders.
Rutland County Council will be asked to present initial proposals by 21st March. In discussions with Leicestershire County Council, the Leicestershire District Councils and the Government these six tests should steer discussions by Rutland County Council ensuring we stand up for ourselves and what is best for Rutland.
Last week Alicia Kearns launched a #SaveRutland petition, urging the Government to protect Rutland’s status as a ceremonial county regardless of the outcome of Local Government re-organisation and devolution. Alicia will present the petition in person in Parliament at the end of March, following the 21st March deadline.
Alicia Kearns, Member of Parliament for Rutland and Stamford, said:
“Thank you to every Rutlander who has helped shape these tests by attending my public meetings, emailing, writing or stopping to chat with me while out and about in our communities.
“Rutlanders will not accept having our identity stripped from us, and given the serious repercussions of this re-organisation for our communities, the Council must go into negotiations fighting our corner and clear on what we expect and what would be best for Rutland.
“These six tests provide a guide to try and deliver the best future for our communities and minimise the damage to us as a result of these reforms being imposed on us.”
