Purpose

To provide a Local Government Reorganisation progress update for the Peterborough and Cambridgeshire area in light of the review of the process, review the feedback from Council and the warding arrangement proposals recently submitted response to MHCLG in regards to warding arrangements for the various unitary options for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

Decision

AGREED to:

·       note the progress towards Local Government Reorganisation in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough;

·       note the submission to MHCLG on the prospective future warding arrangements for unitary government in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough as set out Appendix 1;

·       reiterate opposition to the way that Government has gone about LGR since the original December 2024 announcement. The process has been rushed, the criteria within the process has changed, the restriction on crossing almost all County Boundaries artificially restricted consideration of potentially better options and no real consideration has been given to the wider issue of which local authority functions should most appropriately be carried out by which level of local government;

·       continue to oppose all four LGR options which were on the table for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, whilst Option D was the least bad option, it was still worse than maintaining the status quo;

·       convey that, subject to the result of the “rapid review”, tens of thousands of officers’ hours, and tens of millions of pounds risk having been spent or lost nationwide as a result of this farrago

·       state that the reduction in democratic accountability inherent in the Government’s intention to impose large unitary authorities upon the Shire counties which substantially reduced residents’ ability to influence local decision-making was inherently wrong, especially since it would have ended up that in many cases metropolitan unitary councils would have been much smaller in population, and very much smaller in area, than the proposed unitary authorities in the current Shire counties. Local Democracy requires local councils which are on a scale with which residents can identify – such as the scale of existing District and Borough Councils;

·       emphasise that every successful significant reorganisation of local government has had far more time and thought given to it, going back to the Municipal Corporations Act 1835, with each significant reorganisation preceded by a Royal Commission, and if the Government wishes to proceed with LGR they need to establish a Royal Commission to do justice to the complications involved;

·       authorises the Chief Executive and the Leader of the Council to respond in terms consistent with this resolution if FDC is invited to participate in or submit to the “rapid review” of LGR currently being undertaken by Government, and

·       to inform Government that the temporary U-turn is welcomed and it is hoped that this becomes permanent.

Reasons for the decision

MHCLG required feedback on prospective future warding arrangements across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough based on the 4 options previously submitted by 17 August 2026.

The Council’s submission can be found at Appendix 1 and Cabinet are requested to review feedback from Council and agree the proposals.

Alternative options considered

FDC continues to engage with Government to ensure they take in to account the uniqueness of Fenland at a national level. Continued participation is advised to ensure the best outcome for the residents of Fenland. Therefore, alternative options are not available.