BUCKINGHAMSHIRE DISTRICT COUNCILS Modernising local government report January 2017 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Foreword lett er 3 Part A 4 Executi ve Summary 5 Introducti on 6 Why we need change 11 Opti ons Analysis 21 Part B 35 A Road Map 36 • One Directi on 38 • Even More Local 49 • More Eff ecti ve 58 • More Effi cient 64 • Six tests for Local Government 76 re-organisati on Part C 79 Appendix A: 80 Buckinghamshire profi le Appendix B: 96 Financial Assumpti ons Appendix C: 101 A Model for Children’s Services Appendix D: 108 Governance arrangements Appendix E: 116 Implementati on Plan Modernising Local Government Report 2 The Rt. Hon. Sajid Javid Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Dear Mr Javid January 17, 2017 Modernising local government in Buckinghamshire As the leaders of Buckinghamshire's four district councils, we have pleasure in submitting our report, Modernising Local Government. We strongly advocate a much needed change to the local government arrangements in our area and we have reached consensus on how this should be taken forward. Our proposal, which is an exceptional case because of our unique geography, is to abolish all five county and district authorities in Buckinghamshire and replace them with two new unitary councils, one in the north alongside the existing unitary of Milton Keynes and one in the south to cover the area of the three southern district councils, saving tax payers a conservative estimate of £58million over a five year period. Under our proposals each unitary council would be responsible for the delivery of all council services for the two distinct areas. Our vision/ambition is for local government that: has one direction: each council focussed on one economic geography is even more local: two councils provide greater local accountability is more effective: the right service at the right time improves outcomes and builds resilience is more efficient: thriving economies and resilient communities provide sustainability We are well led and managed local authorities and are in a good position to take this forward. We have demonstrated a strong track record of innovation in the face of financial challenges whilst maintaining our high-quality service provision to our local communities. A unitary Aylesbury Vale will maximise the potential for housing growth through the National Infrastructure Commission Oxford to Cambridge corridor and in the south a unitary will be focused on meeting the needs of new and growing businesses and those seeking a UK base close to London. Both of these ambitions need their local council to have clear strategic objectives in driving them forward and the local understanding to enable their effective delivery. This will support communities and services on a local level but also makes a major contribution to UK PLC. There is no dispute about the need for change in Buckinghamshire. But real change requires new thinking. A fresh approach, responding to the economies of the place and to the people who live and work there. We are ready for that challenge and look forward to discussing our report with you in more detail. Yours sincerely Cllr Neil Blake Cllr Isobel Darby Cllr Ralph Bagge Cllr Katrina Wood Leaders of Aylesbury Vale DC, Chiltern DC, South Bucks DC and Wycombe DC 3 PART A EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Available as a separate document 5 Modernising Local Government Report INTRODUCTION PURPOSE OF THE REPORT Wycombe, Aylesbury Vale, Chiltern and South Bucks district councils have produced this report to set out the case for change and the service and financial benefits of reorganising local government in Buckinghamshire. This section of the report provides: • Context for local government reorganisation in Buckinghamshire • What does Unitary mean? • An overview of Buckinghamshire public sector landscape • The geography for key public agencies Modernising Local Government Report 6 CONTEXT FOR LOCAL of unitary authorities in Bedfordshire, Cheshire, Northumberland, Shropshire, Wiltshire, Cornwall GOVERNMENT REORGANISATION and Durham. Any reorganisation of local government in Unitary structures can bring together services Buckinghamshire should be designed to sit which are delivered in silos and remove duplication at the heart of wider public sector reform and within the two-tier system, such as back office transformation. Without this, consolidation services. Further, the removal of separate tiers of of local government into a single tier, whilst local government removes any potential confusion providing important savings, will not create the from the perspective of residents and businesses improved outcomes and long term sustainability with regard to responsibility for service delivery. which residents require. Indeed, unless this Unitary models can also provide a single point of happens there is a real danger that an inward- accountability for strategic decision making on focused reorganisation of local government will behalf of the entire area and a more joined-up get in the way of much-needed integration and strategic approach. transformation in the health and care system and other key aspects of public sector reform, without which the savings achieved will be more than BUCKINGHAMSHIRE LOCAL consumed by cost pressures elsewhere. Set in the GOVERNMENT LANDSCAPE wider context, local government reorganisation should enable and accelerate reform across the Buckinghamshire has six councils: Buckinghamshire public sector providing leadership of place and County Council, Milton Keynes Council (unitary democratic accountability, in the face of rapidly authority), Aylesbury Vale District Council, rising demand for public services as a result of Wycombe District Council, Chiltern District Council demographic change and continued resource and South Bucks District Council. constraint across the public sector. Reform should also be the catalyst to accelerate and unlock Buckinghamshire has 180 parish and town economic growth, which not only benefits the councils with a further 37 parish meetings, and local area but can also provide much needed a total population of 790,162. Milton Keynes is boost to the national dividend. Most importantly the only unitary council in Buckinghamshire and of all, local government will need to reshape its has a population of 261,762. Aylesbury Vale is relationship with the residents of Buckinghamshire, the largest district council with a population of focusing much more on building resilience and 188,707. Wycombe District Council is the second independence rather than defaulting automatically largest district council with a population of 176,028. to traditional forms of service provision. Chiltern and South Bucks District Councils have Sustainable local government will work alongside populations of 94,545 and 69,120 respectively1. people and communities to assist them in securing Residents are represented by seven Members their own wellbeing, with much greater emphasis of Parliament, 57 unitary councillors; 49 county on early intervention and prevention to avoid councillors and 187 district council members. demand for hard-stretched public services. Surrounding unitary authorities include Central Bedfordshire with a population of 274,022, Bedford Borough Council with a population of 166,252, WHAT DOES UNITARY MEAN? Wokingham Borough Council with a population of 160,409, Slough Borough Council with a population Unitary local authorities have responsibility for of 145,734 and the Royal Borough of Windsor and all local government services within a defined Maidenhead with a population of 147,7082. geographic area. In recent years a number of areas have transitioned from tier structures to unitary 1) Office for National Statistics as at mid-2015 models. The most recent unitary authorities were 2) www.englandseconomicheartland.com/Pages/strategic- created in 2009 and include the establishment leadership.aspx 7 Modernising Local Government Report The London Borough of Hillingdon with a districts include South Oxfordshire District Council, population of 297,735 is a neighbour on the Cherwell District Council, Dacorum Borough southern border. Surrounding top tier authorities Council, Three Rivers District Council, South include, Hertfordshire County Council, Northamptonshire Council and Wellingborough Northamptonshire County Council and Oxfordshire Borough Council. County Council. Surrounding local authority THE GEOGRAPHY OF DELIVERY FOR KEY PUBLIC AGENCIES Public service administrative areas within the A new unitary, covering what is left of the ceremonial county of Buckinghamshire are ceremonial county of Buckinghamshire as proposed currently delivered on different functioning by the County Council will, we believe, not geographies. We believe our proposal for two new represent the best outcome for our communities. unitary councils better fits with local functional This is because it does not reflect the more local administrative areas that already exist (as administrative boundaries of our other public demonstrated on the maps that follow). service providers on the ground. LOCAL GOVERNMENT County Council Proposal District Council Proposal BLUE LIGHT SERVICES Police: Thames Valley Police Constabulary covers Buckinghamshire, Milton Keynes and Oxfordshire. It has 12 local policing areas – four of which are within Buckinghamshire (see right). Policing at the local level reflects a more functional geography. Fire: Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire and Rescue Service cover the whole of the ceremonial county area. Ambulance: South Central Ambulance