Preferred new council names put forward

By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter

The preferred names of Gloucestershire’s future councils and how many councillors they could have has been put forward by Shire Hall chiefs.

Local government is being reorganised in the county and, under the current plans, who provides local services will change over the next two years

Ministers want to see English district authorities merged with county councils as part of their drive to simplify local government and create, what they believe would be, stronger councils.

In Gloucestershire, that would mean the current district authorities in Gloucester, Cheltenham, Cotswold, Forest of Dean, Stroud and Tewkesbury would be merged with Gloucestershire County Council.

And either one or more unitary councils would be created providing all of their services.

Shire Hall’s cabinet discussed today their preference for the name and number of councillors for each new authority as they agreed their response to the Government on the structural change order for Gloucestershire.

One of the options would see the creation of a single council for the whole area and their preference is for it to be called Gloucestershire Council and be composed of 110 councillors representing 55 wards.

If the county is split into two authorities with one in the East and another in the West, their preference is for these to have 52 and 58 councillors respectively.

And for these councils to be called East Gloucestershire Council and West Gloucestershire Council.

However, Cheltenham Borough Council leaders had previously suggested the authorities could be called Cheltenham and Cotswolds Council and Gloucester, Forest and the Stroud Valleys Council.

The third option, which is being championed by Gloucester City Council would see the creation of an expanded unitary authority for the city and surrounding area with a separate council for the rest of the county.

Cabinet members at Shire Hall say their preference is for these authorities to be called Greater Gloucester Council and Gloucestershire Council and they would be made up of 52 and 81 councillors respectively, under the current plans.

Council leader Lisa Spivey (LD, South Cerney) told the meeting that one of the biggest discussions they have had was around names.

“There was largely agreement that in the event it was a single unitary it would be Gloucestershire Council,” she said.

“In the event of it being what is currently known as the East/West split it would be as East Gloucestershire Council and West Gloucestershire Council.

“In the event the model chosen was the Greater Gloucester one we would have Greater Gloucester Council and Greater Gloucestershire Council which seems to maek things quite simple.

“Although, I know there are other proposals being put forward, especially for the east west model which may want to include some of the names of those predecessor councils.”

She also said that the new shadow authorities would have the choice to change their name if they desire once they are created.

The Government is expected to announce its final decision on which reorganisation option will move forward in July.

There would then be election sto the new unitary council or councils in May 2027.

The new structural changes would then be established in April 2028 at which point the current county, city, and district councils will be dissolved.

Gloucester News Centre – http://gloucesternewscentre.co.uk