Unitary councils, the upsides and downs

Ian Thorn is the Chair of the Community Communications Partnership and the Leader of the LibDem Opposition in Wiltshire – a Unitary Authority that will serve as a template for many other counties. Ian gives us his unique insight on how these Authorities are likely to function.

Wiltshire Council has been a unitary council since 2009. It replaced Wiltshire County Council and four district councils. Like many examples of local government re-organisation, the change was hailed as a significant step forward in modernising services, reducing duplication and saving money.

Over the past fifteen years we have had enough time to consider what impact the change has had. It’s impact on financial viability, the views of Wiltshire residents and service delivery.

Like most things designed by human beings, the outcome, in my view, is a mixed bag. One of the potential wins was the significant rationalisation of council buildings and property. The early administrations committed to funding a series to community hubs supported by receipts from the sale of surplus land. This initiative was never completed. Some communities had beautiful community hubs with libraries, leisure centres and police offices. Others got little or nothing, when the money ran out. The new structure leaves three office hubs in Trowbridge, Chippenham and Salisbury for a community of 450,000. Pretty distant if you are in Devizes or Tisbury, for example.

The funding did extend to a modernised county hall at Trowbridge but little in the way of upgrades to the other two centres. It’s always sensible to consider the advertised benefits with a pinch of salt.

The creation of Wiltshire Council certainly addressed duplication of services and roles and therefore reduced costs in the administration. Five chief executives became one, four directors of planning became one. The number of councillors was significantly reduced. It also put Wiltshire in a position to recruit the best officers at all levels.

It has also provided some additional financial stability at a time of increasing headwinds. It has also allowed Wiltshire to punch at a higher level with partners and, possibly, government.  

What do residents think? It takes nearly an hour, on a good day, from Salisbury by car. Longer by public transport. Forty minutes on a good day from Malmesbury and longer by public transport. The size of the authority is a problem. Many residents feel distant and unloved. This is particularly the case for people living south of the Plain and is made worse by a political system that give enormous power to a leader and cabinet.

The delivery of services also becomes more distant. Can one council covering 1,350 square miles be responsive enough to address a pothole in Tidworth or broken streetlight in Bradford on Avon?

The greatest financial challenges facing any local council is the exponential increase in adult social care and the high needs block. A unitary council can look to a wider range of revenue to support the financial challenges.

So, in hindsight, was the creation of Wiltshire Council a good thing? It has provided greater, relative, financial stability at a time when many councils are facing disaster. It has benefited from economies of scale. But it has found it hard to engage residents and communities, to make local government truly local.

To explore this further, please do get in touch with Ian at iant@theccp.net or call 020 4538 7200.